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A History of the Trials and Hard 
ships of the Twenty-Fourth 
Indiana Volunteer 
Infantry 



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1913 
Indianapolis Pfiniing Co. 
Piintcrt /*'. 






in 




RICHARD J. FULFER 

Twentjr-Fourth Infantry 



^ 



PREFACE. 

This history is based on my pocket memorandum which I 
cept during the late Civil War, 1861-1865. 

Richard J. Fulfer. 




COLONEL ALVIN P. HOVEY 

Twenty-Fourth Infantry 



CORPS COMMANDERS OF OUR REGIMENT. 

General Fremont. 

U. S. Grant. 

N. P. Banks. 

E. S. Canby. 
W. T. Sherman. 

DIVISION OFFICERS. 

General Pope. 
Lew A\^allace. 
A. P. Hovey. 
General ]\IcClernard. 
E. O. C. Orel. 
C. C. Andrews. 

REGIMENT OFFICERS. 

Colonel A. P. Hovey. 
Lieutenant Colonel Gurber. 

Major C. C. Hines. 

Colonel William T. Spicely. 

Lieutenant Colonel R. F. Barter. 

Major John F. Grill. 




GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT 



OFFICERS OF COMPANY A. 

Captain — Hugh Erwin. 
First Lieutenant — George Sheaks. 

Second Lieutenant — H. F. Braxton (resigned). J. L. Cain. 
First Sergeant — Richard F. Cleveland. (Non-commissioned.) 
Second Sergeant — John East. (Xon-commissioned.) 
Third Sergeant — Francis M. Jolley. (Xon-commissioned.) 
Fourth Sergeant — Henry B. East. (Non-commissioned.) 
Fifth Sergeant — Van B. Kelley. (Non-commissioned.) 
First Corporal — Josiah Botkin. (Non-commissioned.) 
Second Corporal — Chas. H. Dunnihue. (Non-commissioned.) 
Third Corporal — J. N. Wright. (Non-commissioned.) 
Fourth Corporal— John Edwards. (Non-commissioned.) 
Fifth Corporal — George F. Otta. (Non-commissioned.) 
Sixth Corporal — William Erwin. (Non-commissioned.) 
Seventh Corporal — King A. Trainer. (Non-commissioned.) 
Eighth Corporal — Jasper N. Maiden. (Non-commissioned.) 
Musician — James S. Cole. 
Teamster — Alfred Cambron. 
Hospital Steward — Robert J. Mills. 
Sergeant Major — George A. Barnes. 




GENERAL WILLIAM T. SHERMAN 



PRIVATES OF COMPANY A, 



Arms, Thomas R. 
Bartlett, Haines. 
Blevins, Willoiighby. 
Busic, William S. 
Clark, John C. 
Clark, William G. 
Cole, William C. 
Coward, Joel. 
Coward, James. 
Collins, James W. 
Conley, David. 
Cox, Andrew. 
Crow, Walter S. 
Douglass, Edgar L. 
Edwards, \Villiam. 
Enness, Charles. 
Erwin, Jarred. 
Fulfer, Richard J. 
Fullen, John. 
George, Andrew J. 
Harvey, James. 
Hamer, Henry, 
Hamer, George. 
Hostetler, Samuel. 
Harbaugh, Benjamin F. 
Higginbotham, David D. 
Gross, James A. 
Gross, Wm. C. 
Jolly, George W. 



Keedy, W^illiam. 
Lee, John. 
Lochner, John C. 
Lynn, Ephriam. 
McPike, Francis M. 
Melvin. William. 
Mitchell, William H. 
Xeuge-nt, \\'illoughby. 
Orr, Patrick. 
Painter, Xoah. 
Palmer, Xoah. 
Peters. Henry C. 
Phipps, David. 
Phipps. Isaiah. 
Ramsey, William W. 
Riggle, Timothy. 
Robbins, William. 
Smith, F. M. 
Staples, Abraham. ' 
Stotts. David. 
Stroud, \^^ashington. 
Tanksley. Charles. 
Teft, James. 
Tinsley, David. 
Toliver. John. 
Walker, Weslev. 
Williamson, George. 
Williamson, Joseph. 
Woodv, Henderson. 



DECEASED AND DISCHARGED OF COMPANY A. 



Pruitt, David R. 

Pace, David. 

Walker, Lewis. 

Bearley, William T. 

Melvin, Ezekiel M. 

Clark, Francis M. 

Harvey, Robert. 

Landrom, Archie. 

Dodd, John S. 

Watson, Thomas. 
Deceased — 
Discharged — 

Dalton, James R. 

The places at \v 

Company A — 
B— 
C— 
D- 
E- 
F- 
G- 
H 
I- 
K- 



Hostetter, John W. 
Keithley, Jesse. 
Mitchell, Isaac. 
Rudyard, Jeremiah. 
Stogell, Hamilton R. 
Helton, Pleasant. 
Williams, Solomon. 
Low, John C. 
Andrews, James T. 
Miller, William. 
Harvey, Bird. 
Landreth, William H. 

hich the different companies were made up 

Bedford Lawrence County, Ind. 

Paolia Orange County, Ind. 

Evansville Vanderburgh County, Ind. 

Washington Davis County, Ind. 

Petersburgh Pike County, Ind. 

Princeton Gibson County, Ind. 

Orleans Orange County, Ind. 

-Petersburgh Pike County, Ind. 

Logotee Martin County, Ind. 

-Medora Jackson County, Ind. 



CAMPS OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH INDIANA REGIMENT. 

Names. Located at. Date. 

Knox Vincennes, Ind. August i8, 

Jessey St. Louis, Mo. August 2, 

Allen Carondalet, Mo. September 16, 

Jessup Syracuse, Mo. September 20, 

Lamine Bridge, Mo. September 24, 

. Georgetown, Mo. October 16, 

Tipton, Mo. October 21, 

Burr Missouri November i, 

Near Springfield, Mo. --November 9, 

Warsaw, Mo. November 16, 

S. E. of Tipton, Mo. November 27, 

S. of Syracuse, Mo November 29, 

N. E. of Sedalia, Mo December 8, 

Below Sedalia December 15, 

Otterville, Mo. December 23, 

Fort Donnelson, Tenn. February 18, 

Fort Henry, Tenn. March i, 

Crump's Landing, Tenn March 18, 

Shiloh, Tenn. , April 18, 

Broomsage May 10, 

Gravel Ridge, Tenn. June 5, 

Boliver, Tenn. June 8, 

Union Station June 12, 

Memphis, Tenn. June 18, 

White River, Ark. July 4, 

Helena, Ark July 5, 

Vicksburgh, Miss. July 4, 

Jackson, Miss. July 10, 

Vicksburgh, Miss. July 20, 

Natchez, Miss. August 5, 

Carrolton. La. August 13, 



861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

861 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

862 

863 

863 

863 

863 

863 



Brasier City, La. October 3, 1863 

New Iberia, La. October 6, 1863 

Vermillion Bayou, La. October 10, 1863 

1 Camp View, La. October 18, 1863 

Barres Landing, La. October 21, 1863 

Opelousas, La. October 21, 1863 

Caron Crow Bayou, La__November i, 1863 

Vermillion Bayou, La. November 5, 1863 

New Iberia, La. November 9, 1863 

Algers, La. December 22, 1863 

.__ Evansville. Ind. March 2, 1864 

New Orleans, La. April 3, 1864 

Baton Rouge, La. August 16, 1864 

Morganza Bend, La. December 24, 1864 

Baton Rouge, La. December 25, 1864 

Shell Carrolton, La. January 5, 1865 

Mud Kennerville, La. January 19, 1865 

Redoubt Pensacola, Fla. January 26, 1865 

Beauty Florida February 11, 1865 

Fort Blakely April 9, 1865 

Fort Spanish, Fla. April 12, 1865 

Selma, Ala. April 29, 1865 

Mobile, Ala. May 8, 1865 

Galveston, Texas November 16, 1865 



CHAPTER I. 

THE Twenty-fourth Indiana regiment was one of the first 
called for as three years' volunteers. We were enrolled on the 
9th day of July, 1861, to serve for three years, if not sooner 
discharged. We were mustered into service July 31st, 1861, at 
Camp Knox, which is near Vincennes, Indiana. 

Our first camp life after being enrolled was a new mode of 
living and sport. Some of the boys had never been very far 
from our homes, and were not posted in the pranks and tricks 
of the times, even in those early days. 

We soon drew a few old Harper's Ferry muskets. We had a 
string guard around the camp. Company drill was held four 
hours each day. This was the only amusement which we had 
in the daytime, but at night we had magicians, sleight of hand 
performers, and others who made amusement for some of us 
who had never seen many shows. The tall man and elephant 
also paraded through the quarters at night, and this furnished 
a great deal of amusement for us. 

We got our uniforms August 7th. They were gray and 
were about as appropriate as our old Harpers Ferry muskets. 
The guards soon beat the stocks off of the muskets and bent 
the ends of the barrels. These they used as canes. 

Getting used to camp life was quite a change for some of 
us who had been raised up on corn bread, hominy and butter- 
milk. There was also a change in the bill of fare. We now had 
hard tack, sow belly, and black coffee. There were many other 



i6 

changes of life which must be made to make us a happy, united 
family. 

The weather was very warm at this time, and we soon began 
to think that army hfe was no soft snap. 

On the 1 6th of August we again drew arms. These were 
new Harper's Ferry muskets. Six Endfield rifles were allowed 
to each company. 

On the next day we marched through the city of Vincennes 
on review. All was a hurry and excitement, as the troops were 
being sent to the front on that day. 

We got marching orders on the i8th, and we got on board a 
train bound for East St. Louis, 111. We arrived there on the 
morning of the 19th. We crossed the Mississippi river on the 
steamer "Alton City," marched two and a half miles through 
the city of St. Louis, Mo., and went into camp in the Lafayette 
Park. Here were the first tents we ever pitched, and all the 
boys wanted to learn how. 

Lafayette Park is a beautiful park. It contains many fine 
animals. There were many of our boys who had never seen 
such sights as the city of St. Louis contained. Some of them 
had sore eyes on account of so much sight-seeing. 

There were many regiments in camp at this park at the same 
time we were there. 

In a short time we struck tents and marched down the river 
a distance of seven miles. We went into camp at Carondelet. 
One of the officers named this camp. Camp Allen. 

August 27th, Colonel Alvin P. Hovey took command of our 
regiment. He soon commenced battalion drill, which was very 
hard on us, owing to the warm weather. We had battalion 
drill four hours each day and company drill two hours, so you 
see that we were somewhat busy. 
\ September 6th, Colonel Hovey, with six of our companies, 



17 

boarded a train on the Iron Mountain railway and made a trip 
of twenty-five miles. We left the cars at 8 o'clock p. m. and 
made a rapid march of several miles out through a very rough, 
broken country. At 5 o'clock in the morning we got orders to 
lie down on our arms for a little rest, but not to speak above a 
w^hisper and to be ready to fall in line at a minutes notice. When 
morning came we learned that the rebels had evacuated their 
camps and skipped. Thus we were knocked out of a fight at 
this place. On account of not having any rebels to shoot at, we 
could do nothing" else but march back aver the roughest roads 
we had ever marched on. 

Here was our first experience in foraging off of the country. 
But we got a plenty on this trip, such as cream, honey and 
peaches — all of w^hich were good things that we could not get 
in camp. 

This trip was called the Betty Decker march. I don't know 
why this name was given it unless she was the lady who fur- 
nished us so many good things for our suppers. 

We got back to the railroad at 8 p. m., got aboard a train, 
and at 10 o'clock arrived at our camp at Carondelet. 

While here we had to guard the dry docks while the iron- 
clad vessels, St. Louis and Carondelet were being built. It was 
rumored that these vessels would be blown out of existence be- 
fore they were finished, and as half of the people in St. Louis 
were ready to do anything for the Southern cause, we believed 
it. But nevertheless they were completed and had an active 
part in putting down the rebellion. 

While we w-ere drilling and guarding at this place we could 
see other regiments at Benton Barracks who were strengthening 
their fortifications. Now was the time when something had to 
be done to invade Missouri. 



CHAPTER II. 

September i6th, 1861, we got marching orders, struck tents, 
and boarded a steamboat which carried us to St. Louis. We left 
the boat and while marching up Main street on our way to the 
Union station was the first charge which the old Twenty-fourth 
struck. Drums and fifes were playing when four large gray 
horses drawing a big delivery wagon collided with the head of 
our column, knocking it east and west. Several of our boys 
were slightly bruised, but they were more frightened than in- 
jured. In this way James R. Dalton and John W. Hostetter 
got their discharges. 

That night we boarded a train, pulled by two engines, of 
twenty flat cars, fifty men to a car. We started westward to 
open up the Union Pacific railroad over which a train had not 
run for months. The weeds had grown upon the track until 
the engines could hardly pull their own weight. We traveled 
very slowly, and the morning of the 17th found us not many 
miles from St. Louis. 

Half of our train had been cut loose and the engines had 
pulled on to the next switch. The)^ soon returned for the bal- 
ance of the train. At this place we heard the first national 
songs which we had heard sung in rebeldom. Some ladies car- 
rying the grand old Stars and Stripes came out on the portico 
and sang "The Star Spangled Banner,'' "The Red, White and 
Blue," and other national songs. You bet there were cheers 
which went up for those union ladies. 

This was the first time that Colonel Hovey knew that In- 



19 

diana soldiers would eat chickens. But he found it out now, as 
the boys came straggling to the cars, at the call of the whistle, 
loaded w-ith chickens and peaches. Colonel Hovey called, "Take 

them back, you d chicken thieves, or I'll have you arrested. 

I didn't think I had started out with a clan of Indiana thieves." 

Some of the boys became angry and made threats, while 
others laughed and w^re jolly about it. But it was all soon for- 
gotten as the train pulled out. We had to walk by the side of 
the engine and throw gravel under the drive-wheels so that the 
engine would pull anything. 

We went through three tunnels and came to Jefferson City. 
This is the capital of Missouri. Governor Jackson had the 
State House burned and skipped out with the old rebel, General 
Price. 

At II o'clock p. m., September 7th, two engines, coupled 
together, and pulling our full train, went on west. Just as we 
started one of the boys of Company D fell under the car and 
was instantly killed. 

On the morning of the i8th the engines could not pull their 
own weights and each company cut loose and pushed their own 
cars. While doing this, Brown of Company B, fell under the 
car and the wheels ran over his leg. 

We pushed up the grades and rode down them. Sometimes 
we even had to push the engines. 

We reached Syracuse late on the evening of the i8th. We 
got off of the cars, marched out and went into camp near the 
town. A strong picket line was posted and a strict order was 
placed on the pickets. A heavy penalty of death was imposed 
on those who slept on their post. 

The moon shined bright and at 10 o'clock the still night air 
was disturbed by the tramp of horses' feet and rattle of sabers 
coming towards our camp. The picket who was posted on the 



20 

road did not wait to challenge the supposed enemy, but fired his 
gun and skedaddled to camp. The pickets all around the camp 
fired their guns and ran. 

The long roll was beat and all was hustle and bustle in camp. 
"Fall in, fall in!" was the order from colonel and captains, ''and 
get ready for action." In four minutes the old Twenty-fourth 
was ready for action and facing the supposed enemy. Several 
were shaking as with the ague, yet they were ready to take their 
medicine. 

In a few minutes we saw a single orderly coming down the 

road. He rode up and asked, "What the h does this mean ?" 

Colonel Hovey, standing there in his night clothes, with his 
fighting blood up, answered him pretty roughly and wanted to 
know who it was. We found out that it was Colonel Eads' 
home guards of "Jayhawkers" who had come from California 
to join our army. We then broke ranks and went back to our 
quarters to dream of the false alarm and the excitement which 
Colenel Eads' Jayhawkers caused us. 

On the morning of the 20th we struck tents and marched 
seven miles west. Here, at the Lamine river, we went into 
camp. THIS camp was called Camp Morton. 

The next morning heavy details were sent out to build for- 
tifications for picket duty and to guard the Lamine bridge while 
the carpenters rebuilt it. This .bridge had been burned by the 
rebels a few days before we got there. 

The Twenty-fourth Indiana was the first regiment to arrive 
at this place, but there were more brigades on the way to rein- 
force us, some by way of the Missouri river and some by rail, 
as we had come. 

On the morning of the 23d we were joined by the Second 
Indiana Cavalry. We now had the bridge completed, and the 



21 

trains ran over it and went as far as Sedalia, this being as far 
as the road was completed at that time. 

At about this time, the Eighteenth and Twenty-sixth Indiana 
landed on the banks of the Missouri river, and it being a very- 
dark night, they ran into the Tw^enty-second Indiana. They had 
quite a little spat before they found out their mistake. The Major 
and six men of the Twenty-second were killed. 

On the 30th of September we marched to Georgetown, the 
county seat of Pettice county. It was dark when we reached 
the town. As we found no enemy to oppose us we went into 
quarters in the court house. 

Here the Eighth, Eighteenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-fifth 
Twenty-sixth Indiana regiments and the Eighth Missouri and 
ten pieces of artillery joined us. We were collecting an army 
to raise the siege of Lexington, which was twenty miles above 
here. Rebel General Price had had Colonel Muligan, with a 
handful of our soldiers, cooped up there for several days. Gen- 
eral Fremont was getting his troops together to raise the siege, 
but he was too slow. The little garrison of 2,800 Union men 
defended the fort five days against a superior force of 1 1,000 
men. 

An order was given to mount the Twenty- fourth Indiana on 
mules. We marched to the carrall and tried to break several of 
those wild bucking mules. The order was countermanded. That 
evening we started on the march, but had only gone a few miles 
when we met our paroled prisoners. They reported that they 
held out five days and then ran out of rations and ammunition. 
They also stated that their loss was 60 killed and 40 wounded. 
The rebel loss was unknown. 

We about faced and went back to camp. On the 5th of 
October we moved out on an open field and pitched tents. Here 



22 

we drew two months' pay. This was the first time that we had 
ever drawn any of Uncle Sam's money. The officers were paid 
with gold coin. 

While at this place we drilled six hours each day. We re- 
ceived marching orders on the tenth of the month, but the 
order was countermanded. On the morning of the i6th we 
again received marching orders. We struck tents and marched 
a distance of two miles to Sedalia, a town at the end of the 
Pacific railroad. 

The war had stopped all the progress of the railroad. The 
workmen had stacked their shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows in 
a large cut and had fled in all directions. 



CHAPTER III. 

We boarded a train and went to Tipton, which was twenty 
miles distant. Here, on the 19th, we drew uniforms. 

On the morning of the 21st we received marching orders, 
struck tents, packed our knapsacks and marched in the direc- 
tion of Springfield, which is south of this place. At the end of 
a fifteen-mile march we halted and went into camp. On the 
morning of the 2d we continued our march. At 4 o'clock we 
came to a halt and went into camp in a little black-oak grove. 
Our feet were blistered from marching over the rough mountain 
roads, and many of the boys fell out of the ranks and straggled 
in late at night. 

On the morning of the 24th we took up our line of march. 
After a hard day of travel we came to the little town of War- 
saw. We crossed the Osage river and went into camp. 

While here General Fremont received the news from one of 
his spies that General Price's army was at Springfield. We 
were called into line early the next morning. We moved out 
seven miles and the order was then countermanded. There- 
fore we went into camp in a field which was covered with burrs. 
For this reason we named this place Camp Burr. 

Our boys were about played out on account of heavy march- 
ing, and so each of our companies bought an ox team to haul 
our baggage. Our quartermaster sent our train back to Tipton 
after supplies of ammunition and rations. This was supposed 
to be our base of supplies. 

On the evening of November ist, 1861, we received orders 



24 

to leave our tents, and in light marching order move out and 
march in the direction of Springfield. At 8 p. m. we moved out 
eight miles through the dark night and came to our main army 
CO consolidate our regiment with our division, brigades, etc., 
which were commanded by Generals Pope, Hunter, and Jeff C. 
Davis. 

The next morning we marched through a little town by the 
name of Black Oak Point, and after a hard day's march we 
went into camp in a meadow. We were all very tired and foot- 
sore. 

On the morning of the 3d we marched through the little 
town of Buffalo, crossed Greasy Creek, and went into camp. 

We were all worn out with the day's journey. Most of us 
had eaten a cold lunch and had lain down for a little rest. A 
few of the boys were cooking beef and trying to prepare some 
food for the morrow when the bugle sounded the assembly to 
fall in line and march. We slung knapsacks, fell in line, and 
marched off in double quick time. Some of the boys were 
swearing because they had to throw their beef, which had just 
started to boil, out of the kettles. 

We felt sure that w^e would have a chance to take old Gen- 
eral Price in that night. Everyone was worn out and angry, 
and their fighting blood was at its highest pitch. We marched 
all night, and early in the morning we waded Pometytor creek. 
We then halted for a short rest. We had nothing for breakfast 
except a few pieces of hard tack to munch on. 

This was the 4th day of November. After a short rest we 
fell in line, marched off as fast as our swollen feet would allow 
us to. At 4 o'clock we reached Springfield. After a forced 
march of fifty miles, without sleep and with very little to eat, 
we were in splendid fighting order — mad and worn out. 

But our chance for a battle had slipped. 



25 

As old Price's army had skipped, all mounted on gray horses. 
General Fremont with his one hundred bodyguards, started in 
pursuit. They ran into Price's rear guard. I heard some shots 
fired, and it was reported that a few shots were exchanged 
with the rear guard of General Price's retreating army. 

Here we forced a junction with General Lane's army, which 
swelled the number of our forces to about 35,000. General 
Lane had several Indians under his command — some 1,200 
Cherokees. It was reported that he sent them after the rebel 
forces which were retreating towards Cassville, which is in Barry 
county. I never heard of those Indians afterwards. They must 
have been disbanded. 

We went into camp that night about a mile from town. On 
the morning of the 5th of November, Colonel Hovey took com- 
mand of a brigade. 

On the night of the 6th, cheering was heard throughout our 
army, as some grapevine or false dispatches had reached our 
officers of a great victory gained in the east. The thunder of 
drums and voices were heard for miles. 

General Fremont received instructions not to follow Price 
farther into the mountains, or he would be caught in a trap. On 
the morning of the 9th we received orders to march back to 
Tipton. 

On the 13th our regiment and the Forty-second Illinois 
marched on a race to Camp Burr. We heat them by five hours. 
On the morning of the 14th we made double quick time back to 
Osage Bridge, in order that we might get there before General 
Sturges' brigade arrived there. We crossed the river and went 
into camp. We stayed two days waiting for our supply train. 

We went to Tipton on the 20th of November. This com- 
pleted the Springfield march. 



26 

While on this expedition General Fremont issued a procla- 
mation to free all the slaves who made their way into our lines. 
Soon they were flocking in by the score. For assuming this 
authority General Fremont was superceded by General Pope. 
His name was never mentioned again in the history of our late 
civil war, as he was placed on the retired list of our good old 
generals who had served their time faithfully in our past wars. 



CHAPTER IV. 

We pitched tents at Tipton and went into camp for a few 
days rest. The weather was getting somewhat cold, making 
our camp Hfe somewhat disagreeable. We stayed here until the 
morning of the 27th, when we struck tents and marched to 
Syracuse. Here we went into camp and stayed until the morn- 
ing of the 29th, at which time we got orders to march back to 
Tipton again. We were getting tired of running around so 
much, and having no fighting to do, as we had been promised 
that we would put down the rebellion in thirty days. As yet we 
had not even made a start. Some of our boys were getting 
homesick and wanted to fight it out in a pitched battle. Some of 
them thought that they could clean up five little greased rebels. 

We went into camp two miles north of Tipton, in a little 
grove. On the night of December ist five inches of snow fell, 
we then had a grand time hunting rabbits. We remained here 
until the 6th, when we drew two months' pay. 

We broke camp the next day and marched to the Lamine 
bridge. A heavy rain fell that night, overflowing our camp 
and making it a disagreeable place. We lay here until the 
morning of the 15th, when we got marching orders to move 
over to Sedalia. We went into camp a little north of town. 
While here we received the report that our advance under Pope 
had captured 1,540 prisoners, without firing a shot. 

While here we formed a scouting party detailed out of the 
Twenty-fourth Indiana. Concealed in covered wagons we 
traveled all night. In the morning we came to an open prairie. 



28 

From here we sent part of the detail to a large mill and distil- 
lery. A few shots were exchanged between the guards and our 
boys. In a short time the guards mounted their horses and rode 
as if for their lives. There were about twenty men on guard. 
They had a number of bushels of corn, several pounds of bacon, 
and some barrels of old copper distilled whiskey. The boys 
loaded one of our wagons with the beverage and set fire to the 
building. We then started back to Sedalia, as we had accom- 
plished what we were sent to do. On our way back the wagon 
loaded with whiskey broke down and we had to leave it. Out 
of all of that whiskey we only got a small drink of whiskey 
each. We reached camp and reported our success. As soon as 
it was dark Lieutenant Sheeks. with a small detail, started after 
the wagon which we had left. 

Colonel Eads had run across the wagon and went into camp 
at this place. They were having a time drinking the good old 
liquor which the wagon contained. The night was very dark, 
and when Lieutenant Sheeks reached the top of the hill he 
heard quite a number of men around the wagon. Thinking that 
they were rebels, he ordered the boys to fire into them. Colonel 
Eads' men also thought that we were rebels, and returned the 
fire. After several shots were exchanged, Lieutenant Sheeks 
withdrew, as we were outnumbered five to one. We never learned 
of our mistake until the next evening. No one was seriously 
injured, as all the shots flew wide of their mark on account of 
the darkness. This battle was named "Sheeks' Defeat." 

While here a five-inch snow fell, making a very disagreeable 
time. On the night of the 23d of December we got orders to 
march back to our old camp at Lamine Bridge. This was one 
of the coldest, hardest marches of our service. While on the 
journey a sleet fell and froze. The batteries all had to be left 



29 

at the foot of the hills, as the horses could not pull them up the 
hill on account of it being so slippery. 

When we reached camp we were almost frozen and there was 
no wood to make fires with. We had built log cabins here for 
winter quarters, but there was no chance to get fire only to tear 
down our cabins. We did this and piled the logs in heaps. We 
set fire to these. We made coffee and soon became warm and 
comfortable. 

We soon began preparations for sleeping. We spread tents 
on the snow and sixteen to a bed we lay down and pulled our 
blankets over us. A snow fell, which covered us over and kept 
us warm. When the reveille sounded at four o'clock the next 
morning it was a sight to see the boys crawling out from under 
their snow beds to answer roll call. 

A heavy detail from the Twenty-fourth Indiana was sent 
to pull the batteries up the hill. The horses and mules had 
failed but the old Twenty-fourth was reliable. 

The 24th of December found us with tents once more, with 
tents pitched at the Lamine Bridge. On Christmas Day some of 
the boys got drunk on stomach bitters and had a jolly time. 

January ist, 1862, we had a general inspection. Our work 
at this place was hard, as we now built Fort Lamine. The snow 
lay on the ground six inches deep, and the ground was frozen 
to a depth of eighteen inches. This made it slow work building 
fortifications. Some days each man could not pick out a yard 
of the frozen dirt. 

While at this work several of the boys froze their hands and 
feet and some of them had to have their fingers and toes ampu- 
tated. These received discharges. 

January i8th a detail of twenty men was called out to go 
with a foraging train after hay and corn. We went ten miles 
northwest. Here we found plenty of hay and corn. We camped 



30 

in negro quarters. We killed a hog and had the negro cooks to 
get our supper and breakfast. 

We loaded our train and gave the old farmer a due bill on 
Uncle Sam and started to camp with lots of good things, such 
as apples, honey and potatoes, hidden in the hay. The weather 
continued to turn colder, and we almost froze on our return to 
camp. 

On the 1 2th another train composed of ox teams, was sent 
after corn and hay. Several of the guards of this train were 
badly frozen. 

On the 15th we drew Sibly tents and stoves, but it wasn't 
before we needed them. On the 27th we drew pay for two 
months. We also drew plenty of rations. We had bacon to 
spare. There was no wood to burn in our little sheet iron 
stoves and so we kept them red hot with bacon. 

The citizens brought cakes, pies, apples, and cider into camp 
and sold them cheap. The boys ran some of them out and called 
them rebels, but we had not yet seen a real rebel. 

At about this date we had one soldier in Company I who 
did not fill inspection. For this a detail carried him to the 
Lamine river, cut the ice and stripped and washed him all over. 
He was afterwards one of our best lieutenants. 

After February ist, 1862, our camp duty was lighter. A 
string guard which was composed of the Thirteenth and Four- 
teenth Illinois, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-sixth Indiana, and 
Fryberger's battery of six twelve-pound guns, was placed around 
the brigade at this fort. 



CHAPTER V. 

Friday, February 7th, 1862, we received marching orders, 
struck tents, and marched as far as Syracuse. On the 8th we 
marched through Tipton and on the evening of the loth we 
went into camp near Jefferson City. We stayed in this camp 
until the 13th, when we went to town. Here a part of the 
regiment had c|uarters in the State House and the rest were in 
a large church house. 

The weather at this date was below zero and there was 
plenty of snow on the ground. We had marched about eighty 
miles, over a very rough road and were worn out. Some of the 
boys almost played out on the morning of the 15th. 

Stowed away in box cars, with fifty men to a car, we started 
for St. Louis. Early in the morning our train stopped at a 
small station for fuel and water. We were just in front of a 
little saloon, and as the boys were almost frozen, some, were al- 
lowed to get out and get them a dram. Frank Smith, of our 
company, brought back a five-gallon keg of peach brandy and 
rolled it in through the car door. The door was closed as soon 
as all could get in. Some kind of a hammer was procured and 
the head of the keg was knocked in. The boys soon had their 
cups filled with brandy instead of coffee. The train started and 
the boys soon had the brandy keg emptied. 

There was no more complaining of the cold, but it was cer- 
tainly a mixed up drunken mess. Some of the boys wanted to 
fight but it did not amount to much because we were too thick 
and crowded to fight. 



32 

We got to the Union depot at St. Louis at 7 p. m. and at 8 
o'clock we marched on board the steamer latan. On the morn- 
ing of the 1 6th we ran into blocked ice at Cairo, 111., the place 
where the Ohio runs into the Mississippi. We had to hammer 
away about four hours in order that we might get through the 
ice. 

We passed Cairo, turned up the Ohio river, and landed at 
Paducah, Kentucky. 

Here, on February 17th, we heard of the surrender of Fort 
Donellson. Several boats were lying at this place filled with the 
wounded. We went on up the river to Smithland, and here we 
turned our boat up the Cumberland river. 

On the moning of the i8th of February, 1862, we landed at 
the Bluffs, under the big guns of Fort Donellson, Tennessee. 
We marched out through the dead bodies of both armies which 
had not yet been buried, for our troops were almost played out 
after three days of hard fighting. 

During the battle, General Pillow and Johnson cut their 
way through our lines and made their escape to Nashville with 
a brigade. Our final charge was made on the 17th, at which 
time the garrison surrendered with 5,000 prisoners and a num- 
ber of heavy guns which were mounted on the fort. Our loss 
at this place was heavy, about 1,500 in killed, wounded and 
prisoners. The rebel loss was about 1,800. 

We went into camp on a small island opposite Donellson. 
At 10 o'clock that night the river rose and overflowed our camp. 
There was some hustling around to get our tents and camp 
equipage moved. We then pitched tents on the other side of 
the river. 

On the 23d a squad of twenty men was detailed to go up 
the river on a scouting expedition. We went as far as Bell- 



33 

wood Furnace, which was nine miles from Donellson. We saw 
a few rebels at a distance, fired a few shots at them and fell back. 
On our return to camp we killed several squirrels for our sick 
in the hospital. The squirrels were plentiful and gentle at this 
place. 

We remained at this camp until March 6th, when we re- 
ceived marching orders. We struck tents, got on a boat, and 
crossed the river. W^hile landing at this place Adjutant Barter 
lost his horse. It fell through the staging and broke its leg. 

W^e marched in the direction of Fort Henry until 5 o'clock 
in the evening, when we went into camp for the night. The land 
was rolling and timbered with pine at this place. 

On the 7th we marched to Fort Henrv on the Tennessee 
river. ^Ve went into camp near the fort. This place had been 
taken by our forces about three weeks before. It was well for- 
tified and was mounted with sixty heavy guns. It showed the 
marks of a hard-fought battle. 

W'e lay here until the 9th. We then marched down to the 
landing, and got on board the steamboat, "Telegraph No. 3," 
and ran up the river as far as High Piney Bluffs. Here we 
lashed on to another boat, which had on board the Eleventh In- 
diana and Eighth Missouri regiments. The two boats pulled 
on up the river one hundred miles and on the evening of the 
1 2th of ]\Iarch, 1862. we landed at a little town called Savannah. 

We marched off of the boats and formed our brigade in 
hollow square. Washington's Farewell Address was read to us 
by A. J. Smith, who was to be the commander of our brigade. 
It was composed of the Eleventh, Twenty-third and Twenty- 
fourth Indiana and the Eighth Missouri. General Lew Wal- 
lace commanded the Twelfth Division. 

We moved back on to the boats and at 10 o'clock that night 
we ran on up the river seven miles to Crump's Landing. Here a 



34 

phot was fired by one of our gunboats as a signal for us to land. 
Our boat ran into the shore with such force that it knocked 
almost everyone down. But we were soon on our feet again. 
As soon as the staging reached the shore we got to land as fast 
as we could run ofifof the boat. 

This was a night long to be rememl:)ered. The rain was 
pouring down, and it was so dark that we could not see where 
we were going, only by the frequent flashes of lightning. 

The thunder rolled from pole to pole, 
Onward we marched this gloomy night 

Which tried the nerve of the brave and bold. 
For we were looking for a fight. 

We moved out five miles, found no enemy. We then halted 
for a short rest, as the mud was very bad and the water was 
sometimes knee deep. When daylight appeared, some were 
leaning against trees, some were on brush-piles and others were 
even laving down in the mud and water, and all were sound 
asleep. 

Our cavalrv passed us here. They went on as far as Perdy, 
found no enemy, and returned in the evening. We all marched 
back to the boats on the night of the 14th. 

Our regiment was called out on picket duty. A battery was 
planted on the road, making a strong guard. We knew that 
there was a large force of rebels somewhere near us. At day- 
light we were relieved by the Eighth Missouri, and went back 
to the boat. The rain had poured down all night and we were 
in somewhat of a soaked condition. 

Tuesday, the i8th, our division of 9,000 men moved off of 
the boats and marched out into the timber half a mile. Here 
all of the divisions went into camp. Grant, whose headquarters 



35 

were at Savannah, had 35,000 more troops at Pittsburgh Land- 
ing nine miles above here. 

We still continued our brigade drill. April ist, 1862, our 
brigade was on review. We could hear the boom of the cannon 
in the direction of Corinth. On that day Colonel Hovey made 
us a little talk. 

He said, "I think that the battle has commenced on our left 
wing. But I wash that we could see the w'hites of the rebels' 
eyes. Now, Twenty-fourth, all of you have mothers, sisters and 
sweethearts back in Indiana homes and I hope and trust that you 
will never let the disgraceful name of a coward go back to those 
dear ones who are praying each day for your honor and life to 
be spared." When his speech was ended three cheers went up 
for Colonel A. P. Hovey. 

At eleven o'clock in the evening of the 5th our bugle sounded 
the assembly for us to fall in line. The rain was falling as fast 
as I ever saw rain fall, but it was all the same, we had to march 
to — no one knew where. The water was from shoe-top deep 
to knee deep, all over the road. Still we splunged on. It was 
so dark that we could not see where to go and we had to keep 
touch with the file men. 

Lieutenant Colonel Gurber's horse fell into a hole but got out 
again. Captain Erwin measured his length in a ditch that was 
five feet deep. There was plenty of swearing and grumbling 
going on that night. We marched as far as Adamsville, found 
no enemy, and returned to camp at 7 o'clock April 6th, 1862. 

The roar of cannon and rattle of musketry could plainly be 
heard. The battle of Shiloh had now commenced in earnest. 
At nine o'clock General Grant, on his way from Savannah to 
Shiloh, landed and gave us orders to get to the battlefield as 
quickly as possible. We were called into line in light marching 
orders. 



36 

Colonel Hovey spoke a few encouraging words to the boys, 
impressing upon their minds friends and honor. He told us 
what we were about to go into. He also said that he wanted 
us to go in like soldiers and men. 

We started off on quick time, our regiment in the advance. 
The roar of the battle became plainer every minute. About 1 1 
a. m. our advance guard came dashing back and reported us to 
be exactly in the rear of Braggs' army and only a few miles 
distant. We got orders to about face. We double quicked three 
miles back and went the river road. This road curves with the 
river and this made the march much longer. We could hear 
the noise from that desperate struggle and carnage all evening. 

Late in the day we passed squad after squad of our soldiers 
coming from the battlefield, whipped. We came up within a 
mile of the battle ground. Here we passed one soldier laying 
on his face and scared to death. Some of the officers said, 
"Turn him over and see if he is dead.'" He then spoke and 
said, "Boys, you had better go back. We are all killed or cap- 
tured. There ain't enough of us left for a string guard." When 
we slipped in between the lines a short time later we found that 
he had come near telling the truth. But we found a few brave 
fellows huddled down at the landing, who were not yet whipped, 
but Sherman's battery and the gunboats were all that saved the 
little band of heroes. They also saved the day. 

General Prentice was surprised on the morning of the 6th. 
Most of his brigade were taken as prisoners, and the General 
himself captured as a prisoner, and it was seven months before 
he was exchanged. 

Sidney Johnson had been killed in the evening and this had 
put a damper over the rebel army. 

Bureguard had been too sure of a victory. He made his 
brags that he could let his troops rest during the night, and in 



17 

the morning ride down to the river to water his horse and find 
the yanks all sticking up white rags. But he missed his mark. 
Buregard and Johnson had 60,000 men and they had pounced 
upon a force of 35.000. many of whom had never been in such 
a fight. There were not more than 7,000 in the ranks of the 
Union forces at the closing charge on the evening of the first 
day's fight at Shiloh. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Between sundown and dark our division, under Wallace, 
slipped in between the lines of the rebel and union forces, while 
our bunboats constantly threw shells over into the rebel ranks. 
All during the night, under this same protection. Nelson's forces 
were being brought across the river, and General Buell's army- 
was coming up the river from Savannah, as reinforcements. 
These two forces numbered 35,000. 

The union force outnumbered that of the confederates then 
by 17.000. 

That night the rebels drew their lines back about one and a 
half miles. Our division laid down in line of battle and re- 
mained in that position all night, with the rain pouring down 
all the time. The groans of the dying and wounded were terrible 
to hear, yet many of us slept soundly until we were aw^akened to 
fall in line. 

At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 7th. drenched in rain and 
very hungry. Wallace's division plunged into the fight on the 
right of the army of the Tennessee anl opened the battle of the 
second day's fight. 

We moved out one mile and formed our line of battle. Our 
brigade supported the Ninth Indiana battery. We were charged 
by a regiment of rebel cavalry. They were repulsed in a short 
time and went back faster than they came. 

Companies A and B were placed on the skirmish line with 
Birds' sharpshooters. We charged on two big twelve-pound bat- 
teries which were raining shot and shell into our lines, causing 



39 

great destruction. We got within forty yards of their guns and 
silenced them for a few minutes, but they then double shotted 
with canister and drove us back. Wq soon met our main col- 
umn coming up into the charge. 

Our two companies got lost from our regiment and fell in 
line with a Kentucky regiment. We supported the center of 
our army, while it was driving the enemy back on the flanks in 
every charge. The center which we supported was masked with 
three firing lines. The fighting was awful. 

The batteries were pushed up by hand and as many as two 
files of wounded were going back to the rear for an hour. The 
earth shook as if with an earthquake. It seemed as if nothing 
could live in the hell of fire. One could taste the sulphur and 
the shell and bullets could have been stirred with a stick. The 
atmosphere was blue with lead. 

The rebels were drawing off on the flanks and were holding 
their center with all their strength to cover their retreat. At 3 
p. m. General Bragg, seeing that he had come to stay, with- 
drew his army and skedaddled in the direction of Corinth. He 
was wdiipped and had left 8.000 men on the field dead and dying. 
Among them was Sidney Johnson, one of the South's best gen- 
erals. 

Our cavalry followed up the retreat a few miles, picked up a 
few prisoners and was called back. 

The union loss at this place was 10,000. The loss in the 
Twenty-fourth Indiana was thirty-two killed and wounded. We 
lost three officers who were as good and brave as any who ever 
drew saber. Lieutenant Colonel Gruber was struck in the breast 
with a spent cannon ball while in front of the regiment on the 
charge. Lieutenant Southwick of Company B. had his jaw shot 
off with grape shot. Captain ^McGufSn. of Company I. was shot 
throueh the breast. 



40 

A report From History of the Battle of Shiloh. 

Grant, with his victorious army, moved np the Temiessee 
river to Shiloh. Here, April the 6th, 1862, he was attacked by 
General A. S. Johnson and driven back. 

The night after the battle General Buell brought a large 
force of Union troops. The Union troops outnumbered the Con- 
federates now by seventeen thousand. The next day Grant 
gained his second great victroy. 

He said in his report, "I am indebted to General Sherman 
for the success of the battle." 

Twenty-five thousand men, dead and wounded, lay on the 
field after the battle. 

\\'hen the battle was over we lay down on the battlefield and 
remained there all night without anything to eat. A steady rain 
w-as falling and had been for several days. The 8th and 9th the 
wounded were cared for and the dead buried. This put an end 
to the bloody battle of Shiloh. 

The Battle of Shiloh Hill in verse : 

"Come gentlemen and ladies, a story I will tell. 

About a noted battle that you all remember well ; 

It was an awful strife and will cause your blood to chill; 

It was the famous battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill. 

It was on the 6th of April, about the break of day, 

The drums and fifes were playing for us to march away; 

The feelings of that hour I do remember still. 

When first my feet were treading on the top of Shiloh Hill. 

There were men from every nation lying on those bloody plains, 
Fathers, sons and brothers were numbered with the slain. 
That has caused so many homes, with deep mourning to be filled. 
All from the bloody battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill. 



41 

Early the next morning we were called to arms again, 
Unmindful of the wounded, unmindful of the slain; 
We fought them full nine hours before the strife was o'er, 
And the like of dead and wounded I never saw before. 

Our army reinforced, we made a desperate stand. 
And before the battle ended we fought them hand to hand; 
The carnage it was fearful and ten thousand men were killed ; 
All at the bloody battle of the famous Shiloh Hill. 

And now my song is ended about those bloody plains, 
I hope the sight by mortal man may ne'er be seen again ; 
And I pray to God the Sa\iour if it be His holy will, 
To save the souls of all of those who fell on Shiloh Hill!" 

We lay here on the field five days without shelter or rations, 
except what the other regiments, stationed here gave to us. On 
the 13th a detail was sent after our tents and camp ecjuipage. It 
was still raining, but we had to move out and do something, as 
we could already hear the "graybacks" crawling in the leaves. 

On the 1 6th we moved out to the front and went into a 
camp in a nice meadow. Here we had four hours' brigade drill 
each day. 

General Halleck soon took charge of this army and com- 
menced to advance on Corinth, where Bragg had a force of 
60.000 troops, well fortified. On the 20th a small squad of rebel 
cavalry ran into our picket line. Our lines were reinforced and 
we had to stand in line of battle from 4 o'clock until daylight. 

Our fatigue guard duty was now heavy. Almost all of our 
time was employed. The weather was getting fine. Leaves 
were putting forth and the aroma of the flowers filled the air. 
Th birds warbled their sweet songs and all Nature seemed to 
say, "How foolish for human butchers to slaughter one another." 



42 

On the 26th we marched to a place called Hamburgh, seven 
miles away. We found no enemy and returned to camp on the 
27th of April. 

May 2d, 1862, we marched out near Perdy, a distance of 
about ten miles. We halted, went into camp, and sent a force 
of cavalry on to burn the railroad bridge. The cavalry returned 
at 4 o'clock in the evening of the 3d and reported that there was 
a heavy guard at the bridge, and they had not tired a shot at the 
enemy. General Wallace sent them back Avith orders to burn 
that bridge at all hazards, or he would dismount them and send 
the infantry on their mounts. That trip they burned the bridge, 
captured some prisoners, and ran the train into the bridge. 

We could hear the distant boom of our gunboats and heavy 
artillery that were advancing on Corinth. We started back to 
camp. It had rained and we had a very muddy, hard march on 
the return. 

On May 8th we took up our line of march to the front. We 
moved out in the direction of Corinth, Mississippi, and went into 
camp on Gravel Ridge. 

Our division was held in reserve four miles in the rear of 
our main arm}^ We had an army of 80,000 collected here. The 
Union force was trying to dig a canal to get the gunboats near 
enough for action. We had Corinth almost surrounded and the 
heavy guns kept up a constant bombardment. 

We had battalion drill two hours each day. We were drilled 
by Spicely, who was major at that time. About this time we 
drew four months' pay, which amounted to fifty-two dollars. 

Our picket duty was extremely heavy, as the rebel cavalry 
made frequent visits to our lines. There was heavy skirmishing 
in the advance at all times. We were closing in too near to suit 
old Bureguard and Bragg. 

On the 26th of May Bragg's army to a man evacuated Cor- 



43 

inth. It was no siege — merely a draw battle. That army went 
in the direction of Richmond. Most of them went by railroad. 
This was the end of the first battle of Corinth. 

June 2d we recei\"ed marching orders, and on the morning 
of the 3d we marched in the direction of Memphis, Tennessee. 
The roads were dry and dusty, making our march very disagree- 
able. We passed through Union Town on the 8th. Here was 
the first place on this march where we had seen the Stars and 
Stripes waved by citizens, and you bet the boys gave them three 
cheers and a tiger. 

We marched on through Bolivar and on the night of the 13th 
we went into camp near Memphis. After a march of a hundred 
miles, we were all tired and ready for a little rest, but our rest 
was yet to come, for at i a. m. o'clock the next morning the 
bugle sounded the assembly. VCe fell in line and marched to 
the city. 

The fearful wind it blew a blast. 

The lightning never ceased to flash. 

The thunder roared. 

And the rain it poured. 
but on our wear}- boys tramped into Memphis. We took refuge 
under sheds, porches or any place else to get shelter from the 
rain. The next morning we marched down to the river bank, 
pitched tents and went into camp. 

On the morning of the i6th we were ordered out seven miles 
back of the town on a scout. We found no enemy and marched 
back to camp. We had a heavy provost guard at this place to 
keep the boys from running around over town. 

We received marching orders on the morning of the 17th. 
We embarked on a steamer, and went as far as Helena, Arkan- 
sas. Here we got orders to reinforce General Curtis who was in 
Missouri with a small force, at that time. W^e got on board a 



44 

boat and ran down the river, sixty miles below Helena. Here 
we turned our course up White River as far as Aberdeen, a small 
town on the bank of the river. 

We could not hear of the whereabouts of Curtis' army, and 
on the 4th of July, we remained all day at Crockett's Bluff. On 
the 6th, six companies of our regiment under command of 
Colonel \A\ T. Spicely, marched out about six miles to Grand 
Prairie. Here we ran into a force of the 2nd Texas cavalry, 
about four hundred in number. Only four of our companies 
were in line. These companies numbered about i8o. The 
rebels charged up within thirty steps of us. They lay over on 
the opposite sides of their horses and fired at us with double 
barrel shotguns, from under their horses' necks. 

They were repulsed, tried the second charge, and were driven 
off in disorder. 

Colonel Fitch's command was two miles in our rear but they 
did not get up in time for the fight. Late in the evening we 
returned to the boats and Colonel Fitch treated us to the beer. 
On the morning of the 7th all the troops marched to Grand 
Prairie again. There was some skirmishing with the rebel 
pickets but they made no stand. We had battalion drill at 10 
o'clock that night. 



CHAPTER VII. 

July 7th, we marched as far as Clarenden, a distance of ten 
miles. We crossed the river and went into camp in the town. 
\ye remained here until the evening of the 9th. We got a dis- 
patch that Curtis' army had made its way through to Helena. 

We emharked on hoats and at night ran back down the river. 
Our boat ran on to a snag and almost sank, but we got it off and 
repaired after (juite a lot of work. On the 14th we landed at 
Helena again. We found General Curtis' command here. They 
had had a hard time marching from Missouri down through 
Arkansas. 

W^e stayed here drilling and doing camp duty until August 
9th. We then marched to Clarenden on White River, sixty 
miles distant, but found no enemy. The weather was hot and 
the roads dusty, making a fearful march. But nevertheless, we 
found plenty to eat on the way. such as pork, chicken, honey and 
other good things. On the 19th we got ba(?I<: to Helena, covered 
with sweat and dust. We looked more like the black brigade 
than white folks. 

August 27th. we got on board a boat and went thirty miles 
up the St. Francis river, on a scout. We landed the boat, got 
off, and marched through the canebrake seven miles. We found 
no enemy and returned to our boat the "Hamilton Belle." When 
we got on board we found her loaded to the guard with cattle, 
cotton, sugar, pork, and all kinds of forage picked up by the boys. 

We started back to Helena, and landed a short distance from 
our camp at 2 o'clock in the morning of the 28th. We had quite 



46 

a time getting our private forage ashore as the general, E. O. C. 
Ord, put a guard at the staging and would not let the boys take 
anything with them off of the boat. What they didn't get off 
they rolled into the river. 

September 4th, 1862, several companies of our regiment went 
on a scout up the river after Bushwhackers. We went up to 
Chalk Bluffs, below Memphis. We found no enemy and started 
back to Helena. We had not gone far when a volley was fired 
into us by a force of mounted rebels. Our boat in command of 
Lieutenant Colonel Barter, landed. He ordered us off and out 
after them. After a run of three miles w^e decided that we could 
not run down mounted rebels and make them fight. 

We marched back to the boat and continued our return to 
Helena. We landed there the evening of the 6th. 

On the 1 6th, a detail got on a boat and went thirty miles up 
the river, after a load of wood. On the 23rd. we had a sham 
battle. We had quite a time at this and we then settled down 
to camp life. We had brigade drill four hours each day from 
then until October i6th when we got orders to go up White 
River. 

We embarked op boats and went down to the mouth of the 
river, but the water was so shallow that we could not get in at 
the mouth. We then returned to Helena. 

Our drill and picket duty was very heavy, as we had pickets 
on the opposite side of the river. We were in all kinds of em- 
ployment, some peddling, some fishing, and some playing games. 
We had a general routine of camp life. 

November 20th, some of the nth Indiana boys, while out 
foraging were fired into by the rebels. One man was killed. 

On the morning of the 28th, we got marching orders. We 
boarded a boat and went to Delta, nine miles below. We got 



47 

off of the boat and marched out forty miles east, to the cross- 
roads. We went into camp in a bottom. 

December 3rd, General Washburn with part of the command 
marched to the railroad. Here they liad a sharp skirmish with 
the enemy, losing one piece of the ist Indiana cavalry's artillery. 
This was a draw battle. We got plenty of pork and sweet pota- 
toes on this march. 

On the 5th we marched back to Coldwater. The next morn- 
ing we began our march at 4 o'clock. Sunday, the 7th, we 
marched three hours before day. Half of the boys didn't get 
their breakfasts that day. We reached the river and got on the 
boats. We landed at Helena at 10 p. m. 

On the 9th of December, General Gorman took command of 
the post, and we had grand review. On the nth we were re- 
viewed by Generals Gorman and Steel. About the 15th, some 
heavy rains fell, causing the sloughs to rise, so that we had to 
haul the picket guards to their posts in wagons. 

On the 2 1st, General Sherman, with his army and a fleet of 
gunboats, passed Helena. This army was on an expedition 
against Vicksburg. 

On the 22nd, Lieutenant Colonel Barter was appointed 
Provost-marshal, and the boys of Company B of our regiment 
v>'ere guards. 

About the 25th, General Grant's communications were cut 
off while he was on an expedition against the rebels at Meridian. 
This caused his failure to form a junction with Sherman at 
Vicksburg. Generals Sherman and Smith with their forces 
charged Haines' Bluffs. They were repulsed with heavy loss. 

Sherman was now reinforced by McClearnand. They went 
up the Arkansas River and took the Arkansas Post, with six or 
seven thousand prisoners and some heavy guns. Sherman cap- 
tured more prisoners at this place than he had lost at Vicksburg. 



48 

On the iiKjrning of January i ith, all of our troops at Helena 
under Gorman, except one cavalry regiment, got on boats and 
went down to the mouth of White River. We went up the river 
to St. Charles which place the rebels had evacuated. On the 
J 5th of January, 1863, a seven-inch snow fell. The canebrakes 
and timber bent under their heavy loads. 

The heavy rains had overflowed the river and it was all over 
the bottom land. This together with the snow made a very 
gloomy morning. That night, the pickets had been sent out with 
orders not to kindle any fires. Some of them were angry and 
set fire to some buildings, thus causing some excitement in camp. 
The pickets were called in and we got on the boat. We went up 
the river to Clarendon, and on the evening of the i6th, we landed 
at Duvall's Bluff. The rebels had just evacuated this place. 
Our cavalry moved out after them and picked up a few prisoners. 

The rebels left two sixty- four pound guns in our possession. 
We loaded these on to the boats. On the morning of the 17th, 
Colonel Spicely, in command of the 24th and three gunboats, 
went to Desarc. This is a beautiful little town. It is about as 
far up White River as navigation is carried on. 

We found many sick and wounded rebels here. Our officers 
paroled them. There was also a great deal of small arms and 
ammunition here which we took. 

January 19th, all of the command moved to St. Charles. At 
night several houses were set on fire, making quite an illumina- 
tion. On the 2 1st we went down near Helena, but had to tie up 
on account of the fog. On the morning of the 22nd, after a dis- 
tance of 540 miles had been traveled, we landed at Helena again. 

The weather was cold and disagreeable, and we began build- 
ing winter quarters. There were to be sixteen men to a log 
cabin. 

We remained here until the 18th of February. Our camp 



49 

was then o^'erflo^ved and we moved back from the river. We 
went into camp on higher camp ground. 

The 19th we embarked on a boat and went down the river as 
far as Moon Lake. -Here the levee had been blown up, and every 
foot of the lowland to Yazoo City, had been flooded. In early 
days this place had been called Yazoo Pass, and boats had run 
along here. We crossed the lake and marched five miles. We 
went into camp for the night. 

On the 20th. we drew some cornmeal. This was quite a 
treat as we were tired of hardtack. We found a mill, set her to 
going, and soon had enough meal ground for a good corn cake. 
Some baked their cake in half canteens, some on boards, and 
others rolled the dough on a stick and held it near the fire until 
it baked. 

A cold rain had set in making a very muddy and disagreeable 
time, but we had to pull the heavy trees out of the pass, which 
the rebels had felled to keep our boats from going through. We 
fastened two-inch cables around the butts of the trees, and pulled 
them out, tops and all. Several cables broke, throwing the 
boys twenty feet each Avay. We finished cleaning out the pass on 
the second evening. We were wet and muddy all o\'er. The 
officers took pity on us and issued a thimblefull of commissary 
whiskey to each man. Some of the boys paid twenty-five cents 
a thimbleful for enough wiskey to make a good drink. 

On the evening of the 22nd we got on the boat and went 
down to the mouth of the pass. We found no more obstruc- 
tions. When we got to Coldwater River, our gunboat threw 
shells into the woods on each side. We ran down this stream 
twenty-five miles and tied up for the night. We could see the 
signs of a great many rebel boats which had peeled the bark off 
of the trees near the shore. All of this country was flooded. 

On the morning of the 24th, our task completed, we turned 



50 

the bow of the boat up stream. On our return, we ran up near 
Moon Lake. When night set in it w-as so fogg}^ that we had to 
tie up for the night. The next morning we decked our boat 
with holly and other evergreens and set out on our journey. We 
ran into Moon Lake and here met General Quinby's division on 
their way to Fort Greenwood. 

We returned to Helena. General Quinby moved on down 
to the fort and found that country all under water. At night he 
planted two guns on a small knoll near the fort. The next 
morning the gunboats opened fire on the fort. The rebels threw 
a shell into the port of the Benton, killing seven gunners. The 
union troops then had to draw of¥, as they could not get to the 
fort. They left the two guns which had been planted there. 

They came back to Helena after a hard struggle to get 
through to Yazoo City. All of their plans had failed. 

General Prentice was now in charge of the post at Helena. 
On the 28th of February, he issued an order for all citizens to be 
sent out of our lines who would not take the oath of allegiance to 
our government. 

The river rose, overflowing our camp, and we had to move it. 

March 14th, Company B of our regiment was relieved from 
provost duty, and they returned to the regiment. Nothing of 
importance occurred until the 26th of March, at which time we 
received two months' pay. 

In the morning of April 6, 1863, we were called into line. 
Our brigade marched into the fort and was addressed by 
Adjutant General Thomas. He spoke in regard to arming the 
negroes, as the Emancipation Act had already been passed. He 
had come direct from AVashington, D. C, with full authority to 
arm and equip the colored troops. He advocated that it would 
be much better to put the negroes up for a target to be shot at 
than for us to risk all of the danger ourselves. 



51 

This proclamation caused quite an excitement throughout the 
army. Many of the boys deserted and went back home, but they 
were afterwards pardoned, and came back to their regiments. 
About this time we received two months' pay. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

April 9th, Ave received marching orders which were read to 
us at dress parade. On the evening of the loth we struck tents, 
marched on to the boats, and went down the river four miles. 
Here we joined General Ouinby's division. General Hovey was 
now in command of our division. On the morning of the 12th, 
our squadron moved on down the river. We went past Napoleon 
at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. On the morning of the 13th, we 
ran past Lake Providence, Louisiana. 

We landed at Millikin's Bend at 12 o'clock at noon, this being 
about 210 miles below Helena. On the morning of the 14th we 
went up the river two miles, got off of the boat, and went into' 
camp. 

April 15th, we loaded all of our baggage on a barge and pre- 
pared for a march. This country was low and swampy, and a 
great many of our boys had died from malaria and other diseases. 
Many of them were buried on the levee. Our troops had lain 
here since the charge at Chickasaw Landing. 

On the morning of the i6th we started to march around 
Vicksburg. We went into camp at night near Richmond, a 
small town in Madison Parish, Louisiana. The next morning 
vv'e marched twelve miles and went into camp on Dawson's 
Plantation. We remained at this place three days. Our teams 
went back for rations. 

About this time General Grant sent his Yankee gunboat past 
the blockade at night. It fooled the rebel gunners and each fired 
a shot at the supposed monster. As the nights were very dark. 



53 

we could see the flashes of the guns and hear the boom of the 
heavy guns which were planted on the river bluff for seven miles 
in length. 

At this place we had roll call seven times each day in order 
to keep the boys in camp. On the 19th. our cavalry had a small 
engagement. After they had taken a few prisoners the rebels 
fell back. 

On the 2 1 St, we marched to Fisk's Plantation, a distance of 
about thirteen miles. We went into camp near the bayou. Grant 
had been trying to open up this bayou for several months, so that 
he might get the gunboats around Vicksburg. It rained all that 
day making it very disagreeable. 

There was heavy cannonading at night, as our gunboats and 
transports were running the blockade. We must have been 
twenty-five miles away but the roar and flashes could plainly be 
heard and seen. 

We lay here several days while our pioneers were construct- 
ing pontoon bridges across the bayou. Here our seige guns 
were brought up. They were drawn by several yoke of cattle, 
as it was too muddy in that black sticky soil for horses or mules 
to get through, with big loads. 

On the 27th we resumed our march. A\'hile crossing the 
bridge one of our heavy guns fell over the side of the bridge, 
and went down into thirty feet of water, dragging the teams 
with it. It began raining and after marching nine miles through 
the rain and mud which was knee deep, we came to the banks of 
the Mississippi River. 

All of our fleet which had run the blockade at Vicksburg, lay 
at this place, v\-hich we named Perkins' Landing. 

On the 28th, General A. P. Hovey's division embarked on 
boats and barges and went fifteen miles to Hard Times Landing, 
which is five miles above Grand Gulf. 



54 

On the morning of the 29th, all of ns marched on to boats 
with barges lashed on either side, which were filled with troops 
leady for the charge. Our squadron of ironclads, seven in num- 
ber, moA-ed in line on down toward the rebel forts. It was a 
grand sight to behold those great ironclad monsters gliding down 
against this mighty fortress at Grand Gulf, with its large guns, 
to receive tons of iron hail against their iron sides. 

Everything was as still as death when we neared the fort. 
Many were holding their breaths and listening for the terrible 
fray to begin. On the boats w^ent, the Benton in advance. When 
she got opposite the fort, she circled round until within 150 yards 
of it. She then opened up with a broadside of six heavy one 
liundred pounders one after the other. Each boat followed in 
succession. Scarcely had our guns opened fire when the enemy 
replied with their heavy 284 pound guns. 

The fort became a mass of fire and smoke. The Tuscumba 
in the same manner as the Benton, poured in her broadside. 
Next came the Baron, DeKalb, the Lafayette, the Carondalet and 
so on. 

The fort seemed to be silenced and then it was that our 
brigade on a boat and two barges, moved on down with orders 
to charge that American Gibraltar. We were in good spirits, 
for we thought that no human life could exist in that flame of 
hell and destruction, which rained over the rebels for t\vo long 
hours. All was silent, but we had run down but a short distance 
when a white cloud of smoke belched out of the fort like a 
volcano, and the heavy shot and shell once more poured out from 
that crater. 

One of the largest shots struck not over twenty yards from 
our bow. It was not many seconds before our pilot had the bow^s 
of our boats turned in the opposite direction. 

We were about two miles from the fort w^hen the battle was 



55 

renewed, part of our gunboats running close to the fort and using 
grape shot and cannister. The old Lafayette lay at a distance 
of three miles up the gulf, using her big stern gun and dropping 
shell directly into the fort. 

The hog chains were cut off of the Tuscumba, and she, put 
out of business, dropped down below the fort. 

After four hours of hard fighting, our boats drew off to cool 
down and rest a while. It must have been terrible for the boys 
who w^ere shut up in those iron monsters. 

Our force landed and a detail of volunteers was called to stay 
on the boats while the blockade was being run. We marched 
round six miles on the west side of the river. A 8 o'clock we 
were on the river bank, five miles below Grand Gulf. At nine 
o'clock our entire fleet ran the blockade. This sight will be re- 
membered by many persons as long as they live. We could see 
tongues of fire pouring forth from the mouths of those mighty 
monsters. The sound on the still night air was heard many 
miles away. The earth trembled as far away as where we were 
looking on. Our boats got through but they were riddled up 
somewhat badly. 

Our loss was twelve killed and w^ounded. The rebel loss was 
twenty-six. Among their w^ounded was a brigadier general. 
We lost six battery horses on the transports, while they were 
running the blockade. 

On the morning of the 30th we crossed the river. Our regi- 
ment crossed on the old ironclad Benton. The marks of the shot 
on her iron plates were terrible. Great pieces of shell had been 
forced under her iron plates, and they were blue all over where 
the minnie balls had struck and glanced of¥. 

After we had crossed we drew a small amount of hardtack 
and a little piece of bacon. At four o'clock we started on a 
march in the direction of Port Gibson, which is seven miles back 



56 

of Grand Gulf. We marched all night over a very rough, broken 
country. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the ist of May, we 
ran into the rebel army. We were halted from our tiresome 
march by the terrific sound and the crashing shell of a battery, 
which broke the still morning air with its echo over hill and 
valley for many miles and warned even the little birds of that 
desperate day which was to come and cause so many homes to 
mourn the loss of some dear friend. 

Hovey's division being in front, our regiment moved down 
and stacked our arms in line of battle. We were not farther than 
100 yards from a concealed line of rebels. They lay in a cane- 
brake. Everything was as still as death and this was the darkest 
part of the night, the hour just before day. Our regiment was 
ordered to move to the right and form the right wing of our line 
of battle so that the troops in the rear might come up and form 
in line. But before our lines were formed, that ravine and cane- 
brake became a solid sheet of fire, caused by the rebel batteries 
and small arms. Daylight was now beginning to break and we 
could see that the shells were playing" havoc with our troops on 
the hill, that were forcing their way up to the front to form our 
lines. 

We had stacked our guns and the boys were trying to make 
some coffee, but the battery in front seeing that the hungry boys 
needed some heat to make their coft'ee boil cjuickly, rolled in a 
few shells and blew all of the fire out. Some of the boys swear- 
ing, declared that it had come from our own guns, for the shell 
came directly from the place where we had stacked our arms that 
mornmg. 

The fight was now on in earnest, and there was no time for 
arguing about the matter. We now piled our knapsacks and 
prepared for the charge. 

General Osterhos had charged in front, and our regiment 



57 

charged down across a large ravine, which was grown up wuth 
cane, making it ahnost impassable. The rattle of shot and shell 
striking the cane and the whoops and yells of the charging regi- 
ments made a terrible noise. 

\\> moved across and supported the 8th Indiana, which was 
commanded bv General Benton. The rebels gave way on all 
parts of their lines and fell back. We then moved up and sup- 
ported a battery in the edge of a big plantation. They were 
shelling the rebels on the retreat. Some old houses were near 
by and the rebel batteries were knocking the chinking and 
splinters in all directions. 

We followed up the retreat five miles. We found everything 
imaginable scattered along the road. The rebels halted and 
formed their lines in the timber near Port Gibson. We moved 
up within a mile of their lines, halted, and stacked our arms, to 
take a rest. 

At two o'clock, the rebels were reinforced by General Tracy 
and Green, who had fresh forces, and they were also good fight- 
ers. We could see them coming down on us in as nice a line 
as was ever seen in any army. We then had to get busy, and in 
a hurry too. We advanced to meet the enemy. Our regiment 
stopped at a ditch. The 47th Indiana and the 19th Kentucky 
stayed with us. 

^^^hen the rebel line got within forty yards of us their men 
fell to the ground and remained there one and one-fourth hours, 
before we repulsed them. We averaged fifty-eight rounds of 
cartridges to the man before the rebels withdrew. After that 
we never grumbled about carrying sixty rounds of cartridges. 

After General Tracy and many others had been slain, the 
rebels fell back demoralized. Very many of their men had been 
slain and wounded. Our regiment had onlv thirtv-four killed 



58 

and wounded, as we were protected by the ditch, and did not 
suffer Hke other regiments. 

The fighting along the Hne was kept up until five o'clock in 
the evening when the rebels fell back, some by the way of Grand 
Gulf and the others in the direction of Vicksburg. At two 
o'clock on the morning of the 2nd of May we were awakened by 
the jar and report of the exploding magazines which were blown 
up at Grand Gulf, when the rebels evacuated that strong fortress. 
We could see their signals going up all night, and thought that 
the rebels meant to concentrate their forces and fight a pitched 
battle with us, on the next day, but they saw that we had come 
to stay and decided that it would be better for them to take all 
of their men to Vicksl^urg. 

Now it could plainly be seen that nothing could hold the 
blockade of the Mississippi against our mighty force of iron- 
clads and the army which had undertaken to open it up. 

Our loss at Port Gibson was 500 killed and wounded. The 
rebel loss was about 600 killed and wounded and we also took 
700 of their men as prisoners. The divisions that were engaged 
at this place were A. P. Hovey's, Osterhos', and Carr's. Logan's 
division came up just at dark, and Quinby's division did not get 
into the fight at all. 

May 2, 1863, we moved into Port Gibson. Here we had to 
wait until a pontoon bridge could be constructed over Bayou 
Pierre, as the rebels had burned the bridges, while on their re- 
treat. 

Our boys found many valuables, such as watches, jewelry, 
silverware, and some gold and silver coin at this place. We also 
found plenty of good bacon which was buried in hogsheads and 
sodded over. This came in good play as our rations were getting 
slim. The citizens all seemed to be in mourning. Many of 



59 

lliem had their property burned on the supposition that they had 
fought us the day before. 

On the morning of the 3rd, our regiment crossed the bayou, 
and marched out six miles in the direction of Grand Gulf on a 
scout. We found plenty of bacon and other articles of food, 
which the rebels had concealed in the woods, but they were not 
sharp enough to hide anything from a yankee. 

At two o'clock we started back, but when we came to the 
Jackson road we learned that our entire army had moved on. 
We then followed up as a rear guard. 

We marched twelve miles and went into camp near Rocky 
Springs. Our army had nothing to eat and we were cut off 
from our base of supplies. Thus we had to. forage off of the 
country. We foraged corn and ran one or two mills, and this 
furnished a half pint of meal to the man. Some made bread 
and cooked it on coals and others rolled the dough on sticks and 
baked it, and still others mixed water and meal together, making 
mush without any salt. At least we had a time to get something 
to satisfy our gnawing stomachs. 

We lay here until the evening of the 6th when we moved up 
eight miles. We went into camp and drew one cracker to the 
man. for supper, but we had plenty of water to wash it down 
with. 

On the morning of the 7th we moved up three miles and 
formed on the line of battle which was being established. Our 
cavalry had a sharp skirmish and took tweh'e prisoners. We 
had grand review by General Grant. 

Sherman's corps arrived on the loth. We marched ten miles 
and went into camp. Sherman's corps passed us late in the 
evening and went into camp two miles in advance of us. This 
was near the enemy's line of battle and we looked for a heavy 
battle at any moment. 



6o 

On the morning of the 12th we marched on past Sherman's 
division. After a march of live miles we came up with our 
cavalry command, which was engaged in a sharp little fight with 
the rebel advance. We drove them back to the main Vicksburg 
army near Edward's Depot. 

We crossed Baker's Creek and went into the camp for the 
night. We were so near the rebels that we could hear them talk 
at night, and our teamsters and their cavalry got corn at the same 
cribs, between our lines. \Miile our teamster of company A, 
Timothy Riggle was in the crib filling his sack, a squad of rebel 
cavalry came to the door. 

One of the rebels looked in and called out, "Boys, heah is a 
d — — yank in heah stealing ouah cohn." Then this to the 
yankee, "Get out of heah." 

Our teamster hardly knew how to answer, but he replied, 
"Gentlemen, please give me time to get a few more ears. My 
nuiles are nearly starved." 

When they heard him call them gentlemen they gave him a 
little time. I suppose that they had never been called gentlemen 
before. But the teamster didn't take time to fill his sack. He 
vv-as glad to change places with the rebs, and feed his mules on 
half rations. \\''hen he came into camp with his hair standing 
on end, and reported his escape from prison, the Captain said to 
him, "Bully for you, Tim." 

That night Sherman, with his corps passed to our rear, and 
went with all speed toward Raymond. On the morning of the 
13th we heard the batteries of Sherman's force open up on the 
rebel army at Raymond. 

During the night the rebels had concentrated a large force 
with the expectation of a general fight the next morning. But 
at daybreak when they heard the noise of Sherman's batteries at 
Raymond, they came down on us like demons. The bullets flew 



6i 

thick and fast but the most of them went too high as we were 
under the hill. 

As we had only a small detachment against the main rebel 
army, we were ordered to fall in line and pull out on double 
quick time. 

I will relate a little circumstance which took place while we 
were in this critical position. In forming our lines we were 
ordered to left wheel into line. One of our old comrades by 
the name of John Lochner, who was a very clums}^ Dutchman, 
slipped on a pile of rails and peeled all of the skin off of half of 
Iiis nose. He was standing there cursing in dutch and the Cap- 
tain seeing him with the blood running down his face, yelled out, 
"Lochner, if you are shot, go to the ambulance." 

"Shoot, hell Ciptain, shoot mit a rail in de nose," he replied. 
But he stayed in his place in the ranks anyway. 

We crossed the creek and were soon out of the range of the 
rebels' bullets. A very heavy rain set in making a hard muddy 
march. Seeing the rebels did not follow us, we crossed over 
Baker's Creek on a bridge and then set the bridge on fire. We 
went into camp in the bottom. 

That night we tore down some cotton pens and each fellow 
had a good, soft, cotton bed. But just as a person. thinks that 
he is getting some great pleasure for himself, death and destruc- 
tion come along and cut off his happiness. About lo o'clock that 
night, we were almost washed out of that camp by a flood. \Ve 
waded to the hills in water that was sometimes waist deep. 

On the 14th, we marched through Raymond. Here we passed 
over the battleground. It bore the marks of a hard fought bat- 
tle. In the fight Sheman had taken several prisoners, but he 
had lost 500 men, killed and wounded. He had gone on to Jack- 
son, the capital of Mississippi. 

We, tired and hungry, marched on through rain and mud. 



62 

At the end of twelve miles, we went into camp we knew not 
where. But one thing we did know. That was that we w-ere 
tolerably well mixed up with a large rebel army and would have 
to untangle soon. 

On the morning of the 15th, we began marching at six 
o'clock, and after a distance of five miles had been traveled we 
came to a little town on the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad, by 
the name of Clinton. The distance to Jackson from here was 
eighteen miles. We received a dispatch from General Sherman 
stating that he had captured the town of Jackson, captured 
several prisoners, and put General Johnson's rebel army to flight. 

Our army consisting of Hovey's and Logan's divisions turned 
back toward Vicksburg. We were foraging along the road as 
many of the boys had empty haversacks, and not a morsel to eat. 
I jumped over into a garden and grabbed a few onions. The 
other boys followed my example and soon the garden was cleaned 
up. I had procured a small amount of Orleans molasses and 
when we stopped for a short rest I made my breakfast on onions 
and molasses. I will always remember that I enjoyed that break- 
fast more than any that I ever ate. 

We were soon called into line and we began our march again. 
After a march of ten miles we ran into the rebel's advance guard, 
near Bolton's Depot. Our cavalry drove the picket in and we 
formed a line of battle. We stacked our guns for we were 
hungry. As soon as our guns were stacked, we were out looking 
for something to eat, just anything to stop the gnawing at our 
weak stomachs. Two of my messmates, John Clark and John 
Toliver, and I ran for a house down in the field. When we got 
to the house we saw- an old French lady standing on the portico, 
with a large bull dog tied to the post. 

The old lady forbade our coming inside, but w^e could not 
understand her gibberish, and even if -we could, we were too 



63 

hungry to pay any attention. There was a smokehouse on the 
place and we could smell the delicious odor w^hich the good hams 
hanging in there made, ^^'e knocked the gate down, and while I 
was having a battle with the dog the boys went for the meat. 
The dog placed his feet on my breast, but I had my bayonet in the 
scabbard and I grabbed the dog with my left hand and with my 
right hand I ran my bayonet through the dog's ribs. This made 
the old lady jump up and down and swear like a trooper. I 
met the boys coming out of the smokehouse with two big hams 
on their shoulders. One of them called out, ''We have plenty 
of meat, Fulfer, you get the honey." The old lady came with 
an ax and I saw that something had to be done. As quickly as 
possible, I grabbed up a large bee stand that was open at the 
bottom, and threw it on my shoulder. At last the battle was 
won. The last time that I saw that old French woman, she was 
flying through the door with the yard full of angry bees after 
her. There was at least seventy-five pounds of honey in that 
gum. 

Just at this critical moment the rebel cavalry drove our 
cavalry back. The bullets rattled through the cornstalks and 
past us like hail. Toliver called back at the top of his voice, 
"Hold on to that bee gum, Fulfer." When we got back to the 
regiment all of the boys were in line of battle ready for business. 
We camped here that night and the two different cavalries 
were skirmishing at inter\'als all through the night. Some of 
company A will always remember that we had honey and ham 
that night for supper. 

On the cold ground we were lying, 

Filled with thoughts of home and God, 

For we knew that on the morrow, 
Some would sleep beneath the sod. 

Farewell mother, you may never 
Press me to your breast again. 

But you'll not forget me mother. 
If Fm numbered with the slain. 



CHAPTER IX. 

On the morning of the i6th of May, 1863, a day long to be 
remembered bv some of us. we were called into line at an early 
hour, but some time elapsed before the plan of the march was 
decided upon by the generals. Finally Osterhos and Carr moved 
by the wav of Raymond, and Hovey and Logan by the way of 
Champion Hill. General Ouinby was in the rear guarding the 
trains. 

After we had advanced a few miles we met some , straggling 
rebels who reported that the rebels were in full force on the Ray- 
mond Road, but had pitched their battle ground on Champion 
Hill, near the forks of the road. 

After a six-mile march we ran up against the rebels, posted in 
a natural fortification, made by the circling road that curved 
round the hill. Logan moved his division up and took a posi- 
tion on the extreme right flank, in line of battle. Hovey' s divi- 
sion was formed next to Logan's and Osterhos', Carr's and 
Smith's division w'ere on the left on the Raymond Road. 

At ten o'clock Company A was ordered on to the skirmish 
line. \\> charged up within sixty yards of the main rebel line 
which was formed in the edge of the woods. This brought on 
the engagement and it was general all along the. lines of Logan 
and Hovey. Our company having one man wounded, while 
getting here, fell down in a hollow. The air above us w^as blue, 
and the roaring of the guns and the whizzing of shot and shell 
w-as fearful. 

At one time I thought that Company A was lost. The rebels 



65 

in a solid mass, charged one of Logan's batteries, which was 150 
yards to our right and rear. They were repulsed with great 
slaughter, and they were driven back past us faster than they had 
come. It was terrible to look upon the slaughter of that desper- 
ate charge. The only musket balls which I ever saw used, were 
at this place. By the use of them the rebels in our front tried 
to shell us out of that hollow ravine. 

The nth Indiana and 29th Wisconsin of our brigade charged 
on our left, driving the rebels out of the road. They also cap- 
tured a battery and took 160 prisoners. General Logan's divi- 
sion charged on our right, and drove the enemy in a mass, back 
in front of Hovey's division. There was cheering all along the 
line because the boys thought that we had the rebels routed. But 
they had only fallen back to mask their forces and draw Hovey's 
division into a trap. 

Our regiment moved up and gave three cheers on account of 
holding our part of the skirmish line so near the enemy. Our 
company joined on to our regiment and moved two hundred 
yards to the left flank at the top of the hill. This was where the 
nth Indiana had taken a battery. 

We faced the enemy and charged down the hill. On we 
went, unmindful of the death and destruction which we were 
running into. Not a shot was fired to warn us of the danger, 
until we were in nineteen steps of a masked division. Fifteen to 
one hundred of them came up out of the ditches. They were to 
our right flank and rear, not over 200 yards from where we had 
started down the hill. 

Regiment after regiment poured death and destruction into 
our ranks until we had only a little squad left, to rally around 
the flag. At the first volley the most of our little battalion fell, 
dead and wounded. I dropped into a ditch and loaded and 



66 

fired three shots at the rebels. They were so close that I could 
see the whites of their eyes. 

It seemed as though the hill was filled with rebels. On they 
came and I had to get up and change my position. When about 
half way up the hill, I ran into a squad fighting hand to hand. 
Here was the place where the old 24th almost lost its flag, and 
also, Colonel Barter almost lost his hand. The colors were shot 
out of it and the flag staff was split into three pieces. Corporal 
Steel carried the flag oft* of the field. 

We could not get reinforcements and the chance of any of us 
being saved was a forlorn hope, but just at the last moment, we 
were saved by reinforcements. They came into line on the right 
at the top of the hill. We were a mixed up bunch, but those 
brave Missouri and Iowa boys, the 3rd, 5th and 6th Missouri and 
the loth Iowa, saved us. When the rebel host saw our solid line 
of reinforcements they became panic stricken. They were so 
excited that the last load that they fired they did not return their 
ramrods, but fired them into our faces, threw down their guns, 
and fled for safe quarters. 

We had won the day, but Hovey's and Logan's divisions had 
paid dearly for their prize. At four o'clock the enemy fell back 
in confusion. They were being hard pressed on all parts of the 
lines and they made no stand until they reached Black Ri\'er 
Bridge, which place they had well fortified. 

The rebels, on their retreat, had left many dead to be buried 
in fence corners. 

Our division, commanded by General A. P. Hovey, was com- 
posed of the following troops: the nth, 24th, 34th, 46th and 
47th Indiana ; 29th Wisconsin ; 24th Iowa : 56th Ohio ; and 22nd 
Kentucky. 

The loss of our division w^as 1,500 killed and wounded. The 
loss in our regiment was 259. Our company loss was 22. Two 



67 

of our boys were taken prisoners. The number of men when 
we went into the charge had been 480. Our brigade having 
suffered the greatest loss, was left on the field to care for the 
wounded and bury the dead. 

At night a heavy picket was placed around the battlefield, 
for fear that the rebel general, Loring, who had cut through our 
lines, would come back and make a night attack on our little 
worn-out force that had been left on the field of battle. 

Xo person except those who were pickets on that field, that 
dark night, can imagine the horrors of that awful bloody field of 
death and destruction. The groans of hundreds of wounded 
and dying could be heard on the still night air, and one coulcj 
imagine that they saw them in their mangled condition, begging 
for water and calling on God for help. "War is hell." 

The rebel loss at Champion Hill had been as heavy as our 
own. and we also captured 4.000 of their men as prisoners, and 
took twenty-two pieces of their artillery. 

On the morning of the 17th, the still air was disturbed by 
the belching cannon at Black River Bridge. Osterhos and Logan 
charged the works at daylight, driving the rebels out and putting 
them to fight in the direction of Vicksburg. their last stronghold. 
Several prisoners and four pieces of artillery were taken. The 
enemy set the bridge on fire, thus checking the advance of the 
union forces. But they were not to be hindered in that way, for 
they were soon crossing on pontoons. On the morning of the 
1 8th General Grant was forming his lines around Vicksburg. 

May 19th. 1863. having cared for the wounded and buried 
the dead, our little shattered brigade took up our line of march. 
After a march of ten miles we came to Black River Bridge. 

General Sherman crossed Black River some distance above 
here on his return from the capture of Jackson, ]\Iississippi. 
On the night of the 19th. he charged the enemy at Haines Bluffs, 



68 

where he had been defeated about the 23rd of December, the 
year before. This time he was successful in capturing the fort. 
He then estabhshed his Hnes on our extreme right. The cap- 
turing of Haines Bluffs connected us with our base of supplies 
above Pittsburg. We had been on less than quarter rations for 
twenty days. 

At Haines Bluffs, Sherman captured several prisoners and 
took some heavy guns. He also forced the enemy back to their 
main defenses at Vicksburg. 

On the morning of the 20th, we took up our line of march. 
We left Black River Bridge at 4 P. M. We marched until 
twelve o'clock at night. We moved up near our troops which 
were establishing their lines around Vicksburg. 



CHAPTER X. 

On the 20th, our troops had had a hard Httle fight but were 
repulsed by the rebels, after they had charged up close to the 
strong rebel forts. On the 21st we moved up near our advance 
lines and on the 22nd a general charge all along the lines was 
ordered. Our regiment supported the 7th Kentucky. 

Several of our regiments in front had planted their flags on 
the rebel forts and the destruction of men was horrible. The 
earth trembled under the powerful explosives. ]\Iany of our 
boys were slain in hand to hand fights. 

From some unknown cause, the rebel army in our front was 
reinforced and we were driven back with a heavy loss. The 
blame was laid to General McClernand, the commander of our 
13th corps. He was superceded and I never heard of him after- 
wards. He was a fine looking general. Thus the name of the 
13th corps was lost at Vicksburg. 

The nurses and wounded whom we had left at Champion 
Hill, had been captured but were paroled. They came to us 
about this time. 

Our troops were driven back and some of the regiments lost 
their flags. At night some of the wounded were carried away 
but the rebs would shoot at any little noise. IMany of the 
wounded perished that night for want of help. 

During all of the siege. Admiral Porter bombarded the city 
with twenty-two inch mortars and other heavy guns. It was a 
sight to see those huge shells raised to the distance of four miles, 
and then explode and send the pieces of shell humming to the 



70 

ground, and making a noise like thunder. 

On the 24th, we went to work digging rifle pits and preparing 
for the siege. Our large guns kept up a continuous firing all 
along the lines. 

On the 25th, our dead, who had fallen in the charge of the 
22nd. had not yet been buried. The rebels had refused to let 
us bury them. But the corpses stunk them out and they gave 
us a four hour's armistice in which to bury the dead. 

Two of those in our regiment w^ere wounded while working 
in the rifle pits. We were relieved from this duty by the second 
brigade. We then moved back in a deep hollow to rest. 

On the ;26th we moved up to support the first regular siege 
guns. Our duty was heavy skirmishing all day and digging 
rifle pits and planting batteries at night. 

On the morning of the 28th our batteries opened a heavy fire 
all along the line. They blew up one of the rebel's magazines, 
thus causing a terrible explosion. The rebels returned fire but 
after an hour of heavy bombarding they w-ere silenced. On the 
30th, a small dram of commissary whiskv was issued all along the 
line. 

On the 31st we took our position on the lines where we re- 
mained until the surrender. Osterhos moved his brigade back 
to Black Ri\'er and began building" breastworks to protect our 
rear. 

The rebel generals, Johnson and Breckenridge, had come up 
with forty thousand men to raise the siege. 

On the morning of the first day of June. 1863. our troops 
were stationed on the lines as follows : General Herring on our 
extreme left flank, next to the Mississippi River; General Law- 
man's division joined on to them ; our division, under General 
Hovey next; the first brigade of General Osterhos' troops, next, 
which brigade reached the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad ; 



71 

Generals Carr, Smith, and Ouinl>y next came in ; General Logan's 
corps was fronting that strong fort called "The Queen of Vicks- 
burg," which afterwards became the noted part of the drama 
of Vicksburg ; next General McPherson ; and General Sherman's 
corps as has already been stated, took their place on the extreme 
right at Haines' Bluffs, near the Yazoo Ri\'er. We were rein- 
forced by Burnsides' ninth corps, which was moved back to 
strengthen our rear, and Osterhos' second brigade, and to fortify 
the banks of Black River. 

We now had one hundred thousand troops in this vicinity. 
General Logan's troops began tunneling under the largest fort 
at Vicksburg that morning. The rebels opened up with several 
of their heavy guns but they were soon silenced as we were ad- 
vancing our rifle pits in close range and our sharpshooters w^re 
getting to be good marksmen. 

At night General Lawman's division tried to advance their 
rifle pits, and the rebels in front opposed their advance. There 
were several hard charges made on both sides. The rebels 
would drive our boys out of the pits and fill them up and then 
Lawman's men would charge back and open up the rifle pits 
again. It was quite an exciting scene to witness. 

Everything was quiet in front of Hovey's division, but we 
were looking for the rebels to oppose our advance at night. On 
the morning of the second of June, our army was digging wells 
all along the line to supply us with water. We got plenty of 
water at a depth of eighteen feet. 

The rebel batteries opened up a heavy cannonading, but our 
boys soon silenced them. On the morning of the third we were 
still advancing our rifle pits and the rebels were getting in a few 
shots with their big guns. They were now getting short of 
ammunition and were loading their guns with pieces of our 
mortar shells and railroad iron. 



72 

Breckenridge, the rebel, had forty thousand men at our rear, 
but we were too well fortified for him to make an attack. On 
the eighth a force of rebel cavalry attacked our guards and sick 
at Millikin's Bend, but they were repulsed and driven back with 
a slight loss. 

On the nth a continual firing was kept up all day. One 
man in Company B of our regiment was killed. He was hit in 
the back with a piece of one of our own shells, while he was lying 
on his bunk. 

On the 1 2th a detail from our regiment planted some heavy 
eighty- four pound guns in our rear and fifteen thousand men 
were sent back to Black River to reinforce our rear guard which 
was looking for an attack every hour, as things were getting 
desperate with the rebel army which was cooped up in Vicksburg. 

On the 14th the rebels opened fire with some small mortars, 
on General Herring's troops. Several were killed and wounded 
by mortar shells. They also threw some shells into Logan's 
division. 

At night some of our boys met the rebs half way between 
our lines and exchanged coffee for the papers which the rebels 
were printing in Vicksburg. We found much valuable informa- 
tion in these papers. 

Since they had been cooped up in Vicksburg, the rebels had 
been in communication with Breckenridge's army by means of 
some spies. We also often traded coffee with the rebels for 
tobacco or something which we wanted, while we were on picket 
duty. 

On the 1 6th the rebels opened fire with some of their heavy 
guns on our rifle pits which we were advancing within a short 
distance of their forts. But they were soon silenced by our 
sharpshooters. 

On the 17th, a battery of our twenty-four pound siege guns 



73 

threw hot shot into the city and tried to set the houses on fire, but 
they failed to do much damage, as the buildings were so far 
apart. The most of them had been pounded down by Porter's 
big mortar shells, and very many of the citizens had dug out 
houses in the railroad cut, sixty feet below the top of the ground. 
Some of the houses had been dug out in solid rock and they were 
proof agajnst Porter's big shells that rolled to the height of four 
miles, then dropped and went into the ground fifteen feet, then 
they exploded and tore out holes in the ground as large as a 
house. 

It seemed impossible for any living being to exist in such a 
hell through forty-eight days in the presence of those death-deal- 
ing monsters. The earth and air were both filled with iron and 
lead. 

On the morning of the i8th, our company was relieved out 
of the rifle pits by Companies C and E. While we were yet 
standing there two of the boys were killed by rebel sharpshooters. 
One was out of Company C and the other out of Company E. 
The bullets passed through the loop in our head logs and then 
went through the boys" heads. We were only sixty yards from 
the fort at this time. Admiral Porter used his fleet of mortars 
and ironclads continually. There was neither rest nor quiet dur- 
ing those hot days, made still hotter by the whizzing shells and 
zipping minnie l^alls. 

On the 23rd we received two months' pay. We now had 
money and could catch a little time to bet on our old familiar 
game called chuck-a-luck. 

General Logan's men had their tunnel underneath the "Queen 
of Vicksburg" completed. On the morning of the 25th, we re- 
ceived orders for everv man to fire fifty rounds of cartridges and 
each battery to fire one hundred rounds, all along the entire line. 
Just imagine eighty thousand anxious men. standing in the rifle 



74 

pits, awaiting" orders and ready to charge the mighty Gibraltar of 
Vicksburg. 

Everything was quiet and not a sound disturbed the still air. 
Many w^ere thinking of home and God and wondering what was 
coming next. About ten o'clock we saw a cloud of black smoke 
go up like the upheaval of a volcano. It carried with it to the 
height of a mile, hundreds of tons of earth and debris and a great 
number of men. This w^as followed by a mighty shaking of the 
earth, and the "Queen of Vicksburg" was no more. She was 
up in midair with hundreds of mangled human bodies dropping 
back to the earth. 

At this moment five hundred cannon and eighty thousand 
small arms opened fire, and every man yelled at the top of his 
voice. Just think for a moment what a panorama this must 
have been. In five minutes nothing could be heard except the 
crash and roar nor could anything be seen on account of the 
smoke. Sheets of flame and clouds of black smoke shot up from 
the mouths of those great monster guns. 

After an hour of work in this awful scene of death and 
destruction the lines all ceased firing. A few rebels in front of 
us gave three cheers to let us know that they were not all dead. 
The destruction then continued in Logan's division, and it lasted 
until after dark. 

I cannot give a full account of the work of destruction that 
went on in that division because I was not there, and got only a 
brief sketch of the horrors in that awful crater. After the ex- 
plosion of the fort, Logan's men charged in and tried to make an 
opening in that terrible place. They fought the rebels hand to 
hand, and both sides used hand grenades. These caused a great 
destruction on both sides. The rebels were reinforced and 
drove our men out, capturing several prisoners. 

On the 26th, we moved one section of Captain Foster's 



. 75 

twenty-pound Parrot guns into our rifle pits, not over one hun- 
dred yards from the main rebel forts. We had to put collars 
on the guns to protect the eyes of our gunners. 

Hard fighting was going on between Logan's division and 
the rebels. They were fighting for the possession of the crater 
which was blown out between the two armies. They used all 
kinds of devices for holding that "bone of contention." At 
night General Hovey had our rifle pits extended to within forty 
paces of their large fort. The rebels opened on us with canister, 
but it took no effect as our works were too strong. 

At night our pickets and the rebels stood only ten feet apart 
and talked to each other. \\'hen four o'clock came, the first one 
that got into the rifle pits fired at the other, sometimes cutting 
the dirt close to his heels as he went over into the ditch on his 
head. He then lay there panting for breath. 

The rebels built a wire fence and defied us to cross it. On 
the night of the 28th Captain Jackson of our pioneer corps and 
a working squad adxanced our pits as far the fence. The rebel 
pickets were called into the fort and several shots fired. We 
then sent for reinforcements. The commander of the fort called 
out to know who the officer was who dared to intrude on his 
rights. W'e were now within thirty feet of the fort and were 
lying under two big guns whose muzzles one could crawl into. 

Our captain answered the rebel thus, "Sir, I am Captain 
Jackson of the pioneer corps, and have orders from U. S. Grant 
to dig you out of here, and who are you, sir ?" 

"I am Colonel Jackson of the 20th Alabama Confederate, 
and have my orders form General Pemberton to blow you out 
of existence if you cross that wire fence." 

They met each other between the lines, shook hands, and had 
a long interview, for they proved to be uncle and nephew. I 
thought that we were in for it that night when their picket was 



76 

called in and I heard the gunner call out, ''Double shot with 
cannister, Number Four." But now all was settled and we 
rested in our rifle pit until morning. 

On the 29th the rebels planted a heavy gun to dismount oui 
twenty- four pounders, that lay to our rear. They had fired two 
shots which took no effect, when one of our twenty-pound Parrots 
in the rifle pit threw a shot which knocked the rebel gun out of 
existence, 

July I, 1863, the rebels made a charge on part of McArthur's 
division, but they were driven back into their works, with a 
counter charge. They lost thirty killed and taken prisoners. 
They also charged out on Lawman's advance, capturing and fill- 
ing up several rifle pits. They covered up several of our 
wounded, who perished before we recaptured the pits. That 
part of the line was reinforced and we established our line nearer 
their fort. 

On the 3rd. we advanced our works by sapping and mining. 
We dug up some negro skeletons as this had been a negro grave- 
yard. We were building ladders and preparing for a general 
charge. We could throw clods of dirt into the rebel's forts. 
They had planted several mines under our rifle pits by digging 
tunnels. 

We all knew that something was going to happen, as this kind 
of warfare could not last much longer. 

At nine o'clock, on the morning of the 3rd of July, a flag of 
truce came out from the rebel lines, and was received at General 
Grant's headquarters. Then came the order to cease firing all 
along the line for a three hours' armistice. But Porter, who had 
not received the order, kept his big mortars busy, and threw 
some large pieces of shell over the rebels, and into our lines. 

This rest was a good thing for all of us. Both rebel and 



77 

union troops sat up on our works and talked over the business of 
the day. 

This is a day long to be remembered by many, both of the 
North and the South. At twelve o'clock at noon both armies 
resumed their places in the works and renewed that long struggle, 
but the firing was not as heavy as it had been. 

At six o'clock in the evening, we saw the second flag of truce 
and firing ceased all around the lines. On the morning of the 
4th of July, at eight o'clock, a salute of eight blank cartridges 
was shot from each heavy gun all along the line. At nine o'clock 
General Pemberton and his staff rode out and met General Grant 
under a large live oak tree, near the lines. Here Grant accepted 
the surrender of Vicksburg with twenty-seven thousand prison- 
ers, fifty thousand stands of small arms and three hundred and 
fifty pieces of artillery. 

White flags went up on each fort and the rebels marched out 
and stacked their guns. Yanks and rebs were soon all mixed up 
and talking as sociably as if nothing had happened. They were 
almost starved and soon we were all at the same tables, eating a 
good square meal of hardtack, sow belly and coffee. 

Later I went inside their works and found several kettles of 
poor mule beef, cooking on fires back of their forts. It was hor- 
rible to witness the sights in the town, especially the hospitals. 
It did not take long to get enough of sight seeing for the rotten 
smell in that hole of death was terrible. 

General Grant soon went to Washington, D. C. to receive 
thanks and congratulations for the part he had taken in putting 
down the rebellion, and General Sherman took temporary com- 
mand of the army at Vicksburg. 



THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG. 
From the History of D. H. Montoonierv. 



On the Mississippi, Vicksbiirg and \'icinity was held by a 
strong Confederate force under General Pemberton. Early in 
the spring of 1863, General J. E. Johnson, then at Chattanooga, 
Tennessee, moved with an army to join Pemberton. In a num- 
ber of masterly battles, Grant defeated Pemberton before John- 
son could unite with him. He forced Pemberton to retreat into 
Vicksburg, and drove Johnson off of the field. 

For several weeks Grant and Sherman, with over seventy 
thousand, besieged Vicksburg. Union men were shelling the 
city night and day. Food was so scarce that the Confederates 
had but one cracker a day. The town was so knocked to pieces 
that women and children had to live in caves, dug in the earth. 
They too were reduced to a few mouthsful of food a day. Mule 
steaks gave out and many had to choose between eating cats and 
rats. 

Out of less than thirty thousand, they had six thousand sick 
and wounded. They could hold out no longer and July 4th, 
1863, Vicksburg surrendered. Grant took nearly thirty-two 
thousand prisoners. Union loss, twenty-three thousand three. 
Rebel loss, twenty thousand four hundred and fifty-one. 

Among those that took part in that day of celebration and vic- 
tory was the war eagle, Old Abe, the hero of many battles. He 
was carried on a perch, near the flag, by one of the color bearers 
of the 8th Wisconsin. 



CHAPTER XL 

At two o'clock in the evening we received marching orders to 
go to the rear after Johnson's and Breckenridge's army. There 
was a routine of work to do here, such as cleaning up and grant- 
ing paroles to prisoners, but we had troops enough to see after 
all of this. 

On the morning of the 5th, we moved out to Black River, 
which was twelve miles distant. We had some strong fortifica- 
tions at this place. We lay here until the morning of the 7th 
when we moved out in the direction of Jackson. 

We stopped at the battlefield of Champion Hill for an hour's 
rest. There was hardly a living tree on the field. Those fine, 
large magnolias had been torn and shot up until the place looked 
like an old deadening. One could see the dead leaves for miles. 
We found several bodies off of which the rain had washed the 
dirt. Not much pains were taken in burying the dead rebels, 
while we were at this place. 

We moved on twelve miles to Bolton's Depot, and here ran 
into Breckenridge's rear. After a few shots had been fired from 
our batteries the enemy fell back. We lay here until 5 P. M. on 
the 8th when we moved out against the rebels. They contended 
for every foot of ground. We drove them about six miles and 
then lay down for a short sleep. 

On the 9th we marched to Clinton. On the morning of the 
10th we moved out in the direction of Jackson. There was 
skirmishing all the way but this did not annoy us very much for 
we were used to skirmishing. 

We went into camp near where Sherman was forming his 



8o 

lines. The rebels were keeping up a constant firing- from their 
guns. Our cavalry cut off a train of ammunition belonging to 
the rebels, and then they blew up three carloads of their powder 
and fixed shell to keep us from capturing it. This made a ter- 
rible explosion. 

On the morning of the nth, General Hovey's division had 
orders to take our position in the line of battle. Our regiment, 
the 24th Indiana, went in advance. After a march of three miles 
we ran into a body of rebels, posted in the edge of the timber, a 
mile from their fortifications. Part of our battalion moved out 
through the timber and looked for a road to move out and flank 
them. We drove their pickets in and returned to regiment to 
await reinforcements. 

Soon a battery came up and unlimbered. They fired several 
shots at the rebels at the top of the hill. We then formed in line 
of battle and had quite a skirmish before the rebels fell back. 
We moved up to open field which was planted to corn, and just 
in good roasting ears. We could see the enemy going in double 
quick time for their fort as our batteries were pouring their 
shell into them. Our division moved down near the railroad 
and halted. At 5 P. M. the rebels opened fire on us with several 
large guns, making it pretty hot for us. This firing lasted until 
night. The shells cut through all parts of our lines. We lay 
here all night without any thing to eat and with no protection 
from shot and shell, as this was a comparatively level country. 

On the morning of the 12th we again fell in line and moved 
up within two hundred and fifty yards of their main fortification. 
It was built of cotton bales and earth and made a strong fort. A 
deep ditch was on the outside. 

Here we had some sharp fighting. We were in some black 
oak bushes and the bullets and shells, as they passed through, 
made all sorts of noises. At 2 P. M., General Lawman's division 



8r 

came up and formed on our right. General Lawman, without 
orders charged the enemy. He got within twenty yards of their 
strong works, but they were reinforced and drove Lawman's 
brave boys back with a heavy loss of four hundred, the most of 
them killed outright. Lawman's command was taken from him 
and the division was placed under our general, A. P. Hovey. 

On the morning of the 13th, the rebel cavalry had captured 
our pioneer train. They tried to burn our tools, but our cavalry 
drove them off and saved part of them. They were soon brought 
up and distributed, a pick and two shovels to the compan}^ 

We soon got busy and fair earthworks were thrown up. 
You cannot find many lazy soldiers where the bullets are cutting 
as close as they did there. While one of the boys was lying on 
top of the pit, a piece of shell struck him some place in the rear 
and tore all the hind part of his pants off. Another boy in Com- 
pany B was hit in the shoulder. 

We had just finished our breastworks when all of the rebel 
batteries in front of us got range of us and shelled us like fury 
until darkness set in. 

As we had had nothing to eat since the morning of the 12th, 
each company had three men detailed to go back one mile in the 
rear and pack up rations for the regiment. These men would 
come running back to our rifle pits, loaded down with camp 
kettles, filled with coffee and roasting ears. We were glad to 
see them coming for we all had good appetites. 

On the morning of the 14th the smell of our dead comrades 
near the rebel works became so bad that they could bear it no 
longer. They sent a flag of truce and requested a few hours in 
which to cover the dead which fell in Lawman's charge of the 
1 2th. They had refused to let us get near their works to bury 
our dead. We had carried off a part of our wounded at night, 
but many of them had perished. They were in the troops from 
Illinois. 



82 

A few hours armistice was given. The rebels piled our dead 
m ditches and merely covered them to keep them from stinking 
them out of their fortifications. They didn't get half of them 
covered before the firing was resumed. 

All on both sides were busy and each man was trying to see 
ho^^• many shots he could fire. 

I was on the picket line that evening, and while lying behind 
a good-sized pine tree, my eyes were almost knocked out by bark 
and splinters. Some of the best marksmanship which I ever saw 
was at this place. 

On the morning of the 15th, our lines extended from the 
bank of Pearl River, above the town, to the river below, and we 
were crossing a division five miles above. The division on our 
left made a charge and gained the rebels" works, but they could 
not hold them on account of the heavily masked batteries. The 
works here were almost as strong as the works at Vicksburg. 
The rebels made a counter charge, but were repulsed with great 
slaughter. Se\eral charges were made later on in the evening, 
but none of them were successful. 

On the 1 6th our division lost fifty men killed and wounded. 
Volley after volley was fired that night all around, the line, and 
our heavy guns kept up a continual fire. The rebel bands played 
"Dixie" and "The Bonny Blue Flag." Our troops were crossing 
the river above on pontoons. All was hustle and bustle until 
after twelve o'clock at night. The cars were running back and 
forth, and locomotives sent forth their screeching whistles, mak- 
ing this night one long to be remembered. 

We knew- that something was going to happen, but did not 
know what that something was. Some predicted that the rebels 
w^ere getting reinforcements, but when we awoke from a short 
nap on the morning of the 17th of July, we found everything 
quiet and Breckenridge's and Johnson's army gone. The gen- 



83 

erals with forty thousand men had crawled out through a Httle 
gap back of town. They had taken all of their guns except 
three hundred stands of small arms and one large siege gun. 

All of the fortifications, which were made of cotton, were 
soon on fire and many fine buildings in the city were burned to 
the ground. The soldiers were allowed to roam the town over. 
They carried off many valuable articles. I saw a safe in a bank 
blown up and several hundreds of dollars in gold and silver 
scattered. There was certainly some scratching and running 
over each other to get those bright pieces which were thrown 
all over the street by the explosion. Many fine pianos and much 
furniture was chopped down. 

Our cavalry followed the retreating rebs and picked up sev- 
eral prisoners who had straggled behind, purposely to be caught. 

On the morning of the i8th a regiment from each brigade 
was sent to tear up the Memphis and New Orleans Railroad. 
A\'e tore up the track for ten miles in each direction. We piled 
the ties and set them on fire. We put bars of iron on the piles 
of ties until they were red hot, and then bent them double so 
that the track could not be put down again. We worked hard all 
day and at night enjoyed a good rest. 

We received marching orders on the 21st and at three o'clock 
we moved out in the direction of Vicksburg. We went by the 
way of Raymond. We lay here until the morning of the 22nd 
when we moved out for Black River Bridge. While on our way 
we were in a cloudburst. It came late in the evening and it was 
so dark and the rain fell so fast that we could see to travel only 
by the flashes of lightning. 

At the end of an hour the storm ceased. We were wading 
water which was knee deep. Some of the regiments were 
sheltered by the heavy timber. Just as we came up to the river 
bottom, we were almost blinded by a flash of lightning. I saw 



84 

many of the boys go to the ground and two of the 28th Iowa 
regiment were killed. 

We waded for a distance of three miles before we came to 
the bridge. We crossed over and went into camp. We had the 
cold, wet, ground for our bed that night. 

On the morning of the 23rd, we marched to Vicksburg. The 
weather was very warm that day and we were all almost played 
out by the time we had marched through the city and two miles 
down the river. Here we went into camp. 

On the morning of the 25th, we got orders to furlough three 
men out of each company home for sixty days. While here we 
drew new zouave uniforms. They were sent to us from Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana. There was a hustling time at this place. 
Some troops were gathering up captured arms and ammunition. 
They were scooping up barrels of lead from the banks of the 
forts. The heavy rains had washed the dirt down, and had left 
a solid wall of blue lead and pieces of shell. 

We found a great many wounded and sick here, but the most 
of them were rebel soldiers. 



CHAPTER XII. 

Our Vicksburg army was now being bursted up and trans- 
ported to different departments. The 9th corps had gone East, 
and on the morning of the ist of August, 1863 our 2nd brigade 
marched on the boats and started down the river to join General 
Banks' army, or the Department of the Gulf. Port Hudson had 
fallen two days after the surrender of Vicksburg. The Missis- 
sippi was now open for transportation, and its powerful fort- 
resses and blockades were wiped out forever. But the cost had 
been thousands of our young American heroes' lives, and also 
many many thousand had been maimed for life. 

The cost which it took to make this grand American nation 
and republic can never be repaid, not even the interest at a low 
rate can be paid. 

On the 2nd we received two months' pay, and in the evening 
we had grand review. The weather was now getting very 
warm. We received orders to march and on the morning of 
the 5th, we got on boats and started down the river after our 
2nd brigade. We ran down the river about one hundred miles 
and landed at Natchez, Mississippi. 

We got oft" of the boats, marched back two miles, and went 
into camp. This was a nice country and camp, but water was 
the one drawback. We had to haul and carry water from the 
river. 

We had a great deal of fun at this camp. We were 
quartered near a camp of five thousand freedmen who kept up 
music, dancing and singing day and night. They were as happy 



86 

as the children of Israel when they were encamped in the wilder- 
ness, after they had been delivered out of bondage by Moses. 

A heavy provost guard was kept in town, and many of our 
boys without passes were arrested and put in the guard house. 
They were soon sending for their captains to get them out as 
they were in a regular jail and had to look through iron bars. 

We lay here until the morning of the i ith. We then got 
on boats and moved off down the river. We landed at Port 
Hudson, at six P. M. Our boat had sprung a leak and we got 
off and stayed on shore all night, waiting for it to be repaired. 
This place bore the marks of a hard siege, some A'ery heavy 
ciiarges ha\'ing been made here. 

On the morning of the 12th, we started on down the river. 
We landed at Carrollton, Louisiana. On the morning of the 
13th we got off of the boats, marched back one and a half miles 
and went into camp. 

On the 14th, one of the boys in our regiment, while trying 
to catch a chicken, was shot and instantly killed by a negro safe- 
guard. The boys planned to take him out of jail that night and 
lynch him, but he was slipped out and I never heard of him after- 
wards. 

We lav here until the morning of the 17th, when we moved 
dow-n two miles. We went into cqmp in the lower edge of Car- 
rollton, five miles above New Orleans. The next day Colonel 
Spicelv joined us with the remainder of our brigade, and we all 
moved out and went into camp near the bank of the river. 

A division of the army of 10,000 men, under General A. J. 
Smith, was "lent" to General Banks to assist him in his campaign 
against Shreveport and Texas. 

On the 22nd Major General N. P. Banks received us into his 
army, and we had grand review. On the 29th we were again 
reviewed bv General Banks. 



87 

September 4th, 1863, General Grant came down to see after 
the army and reviewed our corps, the 13th, and the 19th corps. 
Late in the evening, he was thrown from his horse. He struck 
a curb stone and was seriously injured. 

We lay here until September 12th when we got marching- 
orders for a general campaign under the command of General 
Banks. Our army here consisted of the fragments of the 13th 
corps, the i8th corps, and the 19th corps. 

We got on boats, crossed over to Algiers, and boarded a 
train at night. We went to Brasier City which is on the edge 
of Berwick Bay, eighty-four miles from New Orleans. This 
is as far as the road is completed. 

The boys had lots of fun on this trip, shooting at alligators 
in the railroad ditches. The water was full of them. We 
almost lived on crabs and oysters while we stayed at Brasier 
City. The water we had to drink at this place was terrible. 
The boys played several tricks at this place. 

We went to work here and dug wells. We found plenty of 
water but it was so brackish that we could hardly drink the 
cofTee that was made from the salty stuff. 

Our pickets stood over across the bay one mile from our 
army. We had left our tents at New Orleans, but we had some 
comfortable shelters here. They were covered with the leaves 
of the palm trees which grew in abundance here. 

On the morning of the 25th, our troops were all drawn up 
m two lines facing each other. A soldier that belonged to the 
1st Missouri battery was to run the gauntlet. He was drummed 
out of service with a dishonorable discharge for stealing from 
his comrades. One side of his head and face was shaven. Our 
sheepskin band ran after him, playing the "Rogue's March." 
He looked horrible as he passed, with everyone taunting and 
kicking- him. 



88 

That night onr officers from Lieutenant to General got on a 
spree. They had some kind of a dance, music and singing of 
camp songs. They had a heavy guard to keep the file and rank 
from bothering them. At ten o'clock they ran out of com- 
missary whisky, and sent a detail back to the warehouse to get 
some. The guard that was at the warehouse, and our string 
guard decided to have a spree also. We procured augers, and 
as the floor was on piling, four feet above the ground, we went 
to boring through. The first trial was successful and one bar- 
rel was soon issued. Like a bee getting a taste of honey, the 
whole camp came rushing to divide if the guard would let them 
through. 

Se^•eral augers were soon working. A German in Company 
C was standing on post, when his messmate came running out. 
He said, "Chris, let me out!" "I vill, Shon, if you vill divide 
up mit me," answered the guard. 

John ran to the commissary and seeing the contents of four 
or five barrels spilling out, slapped his kettle under and caught 
it full of what he supposed to be whisky. He didn't take time 
to taste it. The boys had struck two kinds of "oil" there. Some 
of it was salt beef or "red horse" as the boys would call it. It 
so happened that John got his kettle full of the salty brine. 

When he stopped, he said, "Hurry oup Chris, or dey vill 
catch us." The guard gulped down two or three swallows, 
threw down the kettle, and called out "Corporal of de guard- 
Beat No. 4. Run here queek, I am seek at mine stomach." 

This put an end to the fun of the night. But there were 

several drunk men in the regiment after all. Along in the latter 

part of the night all of the officers except one had cooled down 

and were quiet. That one's song I will never forget. It was, 

"Go tell Aunt Nancy, her old gray goose is dead, 

One she has been saving to make her feather bed." 



89 

The 19th corps crossed the bay. Colonel Spicely had taken 
command in the absence of Colonel Barter. On the 27th our 
corps was reviewed by General E. O. C. Ord. On the 28th 
we crossed the bay and went into camp. 

The next morning we went in wagons on a scouting expedi- 
tion. While traveling five miles we saw no dry land. This 
country was fit for nothing but raising alligators. 

October 3rd we took up our line of March through western 
Louisiana. We marched up the bayou thirteen miles. This was 
on the line laid out for the Opelousas railroad. This is a beau- 
tiful rich country with rice fields and orange groves, sugar cane 
and all kinds of tropical fruits. The water in the bayou was 
also getting better. 

At ten o'clock on the 4th we marched through Centerville, 
our company in the rear guard. We went into camp late in the 
evening near a bayou in Attakapas Parish. This country is 
settled up by the French and Creoles. We found plenty of 
large yams here and we had all of them to eat that we wanted. 

Our cavalry had a skirmish near this place, capturing a few 
prisoners and taking a small gun that threw a four ounce ball. 
It was a breech loader and belonged to the 2nd Texas cavalry. 
It was drawn by two little mules. 

On the 6th, we marched twelve miles and went into camp 
near the bayou. This is a nice place, the bayou getting nar- 
rower, but very much deeper. Here General * Cameron took 
command of our brigade. He was a former colonel of the 34th 
Indiana. We lay here until the morning of the loth. We then 
began our march early in the day. We passed though New 
Iberia, and after a march of twenty miles, we went into camp on 
Vermillion Bayou, near Vermillion. This country is a beautiful 
rolling prairie. 

While at this camp, General E. O. C. Ord issued an order 



90 

to arm the citizens, so that they could protect their property from 
marauders and thieves. Our boys had no use for such generals. 
He was removed from our army shortly after this order was 
given. 

General Banks had a telegraph line built from New Orleans 
to our camp, so that he could keep in communication with his 
army, his headquarters being at the ctiy of New Orleans. 

On the nth, we had inspection of quarters. We had four 
hours brigade drill each day under the direction of General 
Cameron. On the morning of the 15th, we received a dispatch 
stating that the 19th corps which was in our advance, had struck 
the rebels in force and had had skirmishing with them. 

At four o'clock that evening we began marching and passed 
the 19th corps at midnight. They were in line on the Carron 
Crow Bayou. We crossed the bayou and moved out in the ad- 
vance. At daybreak we ran into the rebels. We moved out in 
the timber about a mile and supported Nims' battery. The hebs 
feH back and we went into Camp Fairview to cook l)reakfast 
and make some strong coffee. We had marched all night and 
were in need of some stimulant. 

We scarcely had time to finish our breakfast, when the rebels 
made a dash at us. We had a sharp fight, but they were re- 
pulsed. Our cavalry followed them up. On the night of the 
1 8th, firing was kept up at intervals by our batteries and outside 
pickets. On the morning of the 19th, Captain Nim's battery 
and the 30th Indiana went to the front on a scout. They 
found a strong force five miles out. They exchanged a few 
shots with their batteries and returned to camp in the evening. 

While here we drew clothing and wool blankets, something 
that we had not seen for six months. The nights were now get- 
ting cool and they came in good play. We also had brigade 



91 

drill that day. On the 20th General Lee came up with a train 
of supplies for us, and a force of cavalry. 

On the 2ist of October we moved out towards Opelousas. 
After a march of a few miles we ran against a force of rebels. 
We formed our line of battle and after a good shelling from 
Nims' battery, we advanced on them. They fell back without 
showing much resistance. 

We marched through Opelousas and went into camp at 
Bear's Landing on Bayou Tableaux. Our cavalry had a skirm- 
ish with the 2nd Louisiana, killing five men and capturing sev- 
eral prisoners. We found better water than we had drunk 
since we left New Orleans. 

On the morning" of the 23rd, we built a pontoon, uur 
cavalry and forage train crossed over and went out about eight 
miles. They captured eleven prisoners and brought back w^agons 
loaded with sweet potatoes and other forage, besides driving 
back a bunch of beef cattle. 

We lay here until the morning" of the 29th when we marched 
back to Opelousas. Here we met our second brigade com- 
manded by Colonel Slack. On the morning of the 30th. three 
companies of our regiment were sent out on a foraging expedi- 
tion. We had traveled about three miles w^hen we met two 
cavalrymen coming in as fast as their horses could run. They 
stopped long enough to report that the rebels were in front of 
us in full force. They thought that their company liad been 
taken prisoners. 

By the time that w^e had moved ahead through a dashing 
show'Cr of rain we came up to the grove where the enemy was 
reported to be. We met a company of cavalry, which proved 
to be our own men. coming out. We went on out about eight 
miles, got our forage, and returned to camp without the loss 
of a man. 



92 

November ist, 1863, we went back thirteen miles and went 
into camp on Carron Crow Bayou. We left General Burbridge's 
brigade at Camp Fairview, as a rear guard. On the 3d they 
were attacked by nine thousand rebels. There was a general 
engagement. We could see the smoke rising up out of the tim- 
ber, and could hear the heavy roar of the cannon and rattling 
musketry. 

It is hard to describe the fearful thoughts that filled our 
minds while we were waiting for the order to go and aid them. 
But soon it came, "Moxe out Twenty-fourth on double quick 
time." We had a run of about four miles before we stopped and 
formed our lines within eighty yards of the place where our 
retreating army was coming out of the timber. We could not 
open fire on account of our boys falling back. Here we were 
standing right in front, in danger. 

Some negro cooks were shaking white rags from a low 
place into which they had crawled for protection. Two com- 
panies of Texas cavalry charged round our flank and went flying 
back to our camp. A section of Nims' battery, which we had 
left at camp, and our sick soon sent them back about as fast as 
they went. 

One of their number had charged through our lines, making 
a collision with our cavalrymen. His horse was killed and his 
leg was shattered to the hip. This brave man was a rebel, be- 
longing to the Second Texas cavalry. I was an eye witness to 
the amputation of his leg. I never heard whether or not he re- 
covered. 

One man in our company was wounded w^hile we stood here. 
We got here just in time to save our wagon train and the rest 
of Burbridge's brigade from being captured. They were falling 
back rapidly, but were contending with the rebels to the last. 
This battle lasted about four hours. The tide had now turned 



93 

and we drove the rebs back three or four miles, and then drew 
off. We marched back to camp at night. 

On the 4th the dead were buried and the wounded cared for. 
Burbridge lost five hundred, killed, wounded and taken prison- 
ers. The greater part of these belonged to the Sixty-seventh 
Indiana. We were all drawn back to Vermillion Bayou, where 
we joined the Nineteenth corps, commanded by General Frank- 
lin. 



XIII. 

On the morning of the 6th we could see a heavy body of the 
rebels out on the prairie, near our pickets. We then began build- 
ing rifle pits on the bank of the bayou. On the nth we sent a 
brigade across to draw the rebels into a fight. Our men drove 
them back to Vermillionville, where they w^re reinforced. They 
followed our troops almost in range of our works. We opened 
up on them with two heavy batteries and they fell back. They 
were too smart to be drawn into a trap. The loss on both sides 
was slight, as this was simply an artillery duel. 

On the 15th our entire force drew off and marched back 
seventeen miles. We went into camp on the shore of Lake Tias. 
This is a beautiful pool of water, three miles wide and nine miles 
long, with timber all along the edge. We had a strong rear 
guard all day, as the rebels were in sight. 

On the 1 6th we marched to New Iberia, five miles distant, 
and went into camp. The Confederate army kept pretty well 
up on our track. On the i8th a force of them was in sight of 
our picket line. On the 19th our regiment crossed the bayou 
and got lumber to build winter quarters. 

At four o'clock on the morning of November 29th, 1863, 
we got orders to fall in line and march out. After a march of 
an hour we heard the rattling of musketry. We charged on 
double quick time. Just as we got into the fight the rebels sur- 
rundered. Our cavalry had surrounded them and had done the 
work for them. 

We marched eleven officers and one hundred and nine pri- 



95 

vates into camp as prisoners of war. Our regiment was formed 
in hollow square and was given three cheers. The sound trav- 
eled for miles on the still morning air, and then the echo came 
back. Thus ended the battle of Lake Tias. 

On the 2 1 St our company was sent out on picket guard. The 
remainder of the regiment went out with a foraging train. After 
they had traveled about ten miles, they met three hundred 
mounted rebels, but they seeing that our boys meant business, 
pulled ofT, and gave our boys the right of way. 

When they had loaded our wagon train with forage to its 
full capacity the boys returned to camp. 

On the 22d our cavalry captured fifty prisoners. They were 
not organized in the rebel army, but called themselves "The 
Boat-burners." That day was Thanksgiving and all the offi- 
cers made speeches. 

On the 24th we went out with some foraging trains and had 
a regular stampede. December ist, 1863, we heard heavy can- 
nonading at a distance. Our cavalry and two batteries were 
having an engagement with the rebels. They drove the rebels 
back to Vermillion Bayou, but there they met the main rebel 
army and our little force had to draw off and skip back. 

On the 2d our cavalry went to St. Martinsville. They ran 
into a squad of home guards who were armed with shot guns. 
Our men drove them back and captured several prisoners. On 
the morning of the 4th we rafted lumber across the bayou and 
began building our winter quarters. 

On the 7th the Nineteenth corps moved off for Brasier City 
and left us. On the i8th we drew a new stand of colors which 
was presented to the Twenty-fourth Indiana by Governor O. P. 
Morton. In the evening we went out foraging. We returned, 
both wagons and men loaded down with as much sugar as they 
could carry. The boys had just put all of the kettles to use in 



96 

making candy when the order came to cook rations for a hard 
day's march on the morrow. 

On the 19th we marched twenty-five miles, en route to New 
Orleans. We went into camp on the edge of the bayou. On 
the 20th we marched seventeen miles and went into camp at 
Center^•ille. On the 21st we marched through Pattersonville. 
After a distance of twenty miles had been traveled, we went into 
camp at Berwick, opposite Brasier City. 

On the morning of the 22d we crossed the bay, boarded a 
train and reached Algiers at six p. m. We got ofif of the cars 
and went into camp. This was one of the worst camp grounds 
that we had ever pitched a tent on. It had been raining almost 
every day, and the mud was knee deep all over the camp. 

A report was circulated that we were going to cross the 
gulf, and just at that time a call was made for veteran volun- 
teers. Two-thirds of our regiment re-enlisted. 

Not over six men in each company were left in camp to do 
camp duty, as the boys had taken up quarters in New Orleans. 

January ist, 1864, we were sworn into the veteran corps and 
**The most of us drank stone blind, while Johnnie filled up the 
bowl." We now had the times of our lives — those of us who 
had been spared. 

Right here was a change, as we had placed ourselves under 
obligations for three years longer, if needed. We lay here in 
the rain and mud, no one knew what for. 

On the 8th we drew our veteran bounty and our non-veterans 
were transferred to the Eleventh Indiana. When, we parted with 
them it was like parting with brothers, but soon there was some- 
thing to draw our attention from this. 

It was a thirty day furlough, at home, where we could see 
our loved ones, whose loving arms had not clasped us to their 
tender hearts for so many long, weary days. 



97 

On the 14th we got on board the steamer "J. C. Swan." We 
crossed over to New Orleans, and had quite a time getting all 
of the rest of the boys on board. On the morning of the 15th 
we searched the town over and gathered them up. We found 
some in the guard house. Several were getting somewhat tough, 
and were having a gay time. 

On the morning of the i6th all on board, we pulled out for 
our homes. We were happy and in good spirits, for we now 
thought that we would see our friends once more. 

We passed through Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. 
This is a nice little city, situated on the east bank of the Missis- 
sippi river. On the 17th we passed through Port Hudson and 
landed at Natchez to unload some freight. 

On the 1 8th we passed Vicksburg. It still bore the signs 
and marks of the terrible struggle during the siege. On the 
20th we passed Lake Providence and Napoleon, and arrived at 
Helena just at dark. On the 21st we passed Memphis, and on 
the 22d we passed Fort Pillow. On the 23d we ran past Island 
No. 10 and Columbus. We reached Cairo, Illinois, at dark. 
We had been seven days traveling about one thousand, one hun- 
dred miles, but we had had to tie up part of the time on account 
of the fog and high winds. 

At twelve o'clock that night we boarded a train on the 
Illinois Central. We got to Mattoon, Illinois, at four o'clock on 
the evening of the 24th. Here we changed cars and took the 
Big Four railroad for Indianapolis, Indiana. We reached that 
city on the morning of the 25th. 

On the 26th the ladies of Indianapolis gave us a grand 
reception and as good a dinner as we had eaten in many a day. 
This was served at the Soldiers' Home. Here we met the Seven- 
teenth and Forty-fourth Indiana veterans. In the afternoon we 
all marched down to the State House, where Governor Morton, 



98 

General Hovey and other officers gave addresses. They gave 
the Indiana veterans much praise and honor. Three cheers also 
went up for them. 

There was a great time that evening, as many of the boys 
liad friends who had come there to meet them. 

On the morning of the 27th our furloughs were all made 
out and we disbanded, going in different directions to our homes, 
where we w ould be free for thirty days. It seemed like we were 
living in a new world, as all was joy and happiness. There was 
rejoicing in many homes, but there was sorrow and mourning 
in many more homes, because of loved ones, who lay beneath 
the sod on some battle field in Dixie Land. These would never 
return to their homes and friends. 

I boarded a train on the Indianapolis and Jeffersonville 
road. I changed cars at Seymour and ran to Mitchell in Law- 
rence county. From there I went on the Monon road to Lan- 
caster. I reached my home on the 29th of January, 1864. 

Wg s])ent many happ}' hours in the company of friends and 
loved ones, yet some of our bo}'s met with trouble and were 
killed by their enemies at home. These were members of the 
order that were called "The Knights of^the Golden Circle." Their 
emblem was a butternut pin. They supported the cause of the 
Confederacy. 

Ambrose Parish, of Company G, was killed by a man named 
McCart. Two of the boys who lived west of PaoHa were killed. 

Our stay at home soon passed away and on the 29th of 
February we all met at Vincennes and reported to the captains 
of our respective companies. The boys were all pretty wild. 
They tore up a printing press and scattered the type all over the 
street. The owner skipped for his life. It was reported that 
he published a rebel paper, but I think that he learned a lesson. 

We e^ot on board a train and went to Evansville. There we 



99 

found a good supper, which had been prepared by the ladies of 
the town. It was rehshed. as we all had good appetites. 

On the morning of March 2d. 1864, ^ve drew tents and 
marched out of town one and a half miles. We went in camp 
on the top of a hill near the coal mine. Almost all of the boys 
ran off and went back home. The officers were having a good 
time and we thought that we would have a time too. Often 
there were not enough in camp for a string guard. 

On the 9th of March we drew our guns and equipage and 
began getting ready for business. At four p. m. we had dress 
parade for the first time in many days. On the 1 7th we marched 
into town and had a grand dress parade. This was a sight for 
some of the citizens, and the most of them came out to see us 
perform. 

On the 23d we had battalion drill, and in the evening we 
were called in line by Major Grill. He took us to the brewery 
and said. "I am going to treat my mans if dey vill be good mans 
and stay in camp mit me." We all marched past the beer kegs, 
cup in hand. Some of the boys, after drinking their beer, fell 
back in the rear and marched past the kegs again, getting an- 
other drink, and some got several cupfulls of the liquor. 

After several kegs had been emptied the Major noticed that 
some had emptied several cups. He roared out, "Stop dat you 
mans! You haf done already had enough." Some of them cer- 
tainly had plenty. 

After the ]\Iajor had paid out ten or twelve dollars to treat 
the boys, to keep them in camp, about twenty-five of them slipped 
out that nipht and went home. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

On the morning of the 25th we were ordered on board the 
steamer "Joseph Pierce" and started down the river. We were 
hailed at Paducah the next morning. A force of rebels under 
General Forest had charged in and set fire to our commissary 
stores. The town was a cloud of smoke. They had charged on 
our fort, which was manned by a few guards, and the invalids. 
They were repulsed and had fallen back out of town, but they 
had had enough of it and failed to make the second attack. We 
lay here until eight o'clock, then ran on down the river. 

At Cairo we met some veteran troops on their way home. 
Among them was the Eighth Iowa, or Eagle regiment. They 
were all rejoicing because of getting to go home. W^e ran 
down to Columbus. Here they were making preparations and 
looking for Forest's army, but they did not come. 

We ran on down to the mouth of White river in Arkansas. 
Here a squad of gorillas fired into our boat. They killed one 
man in Company F. We arri\ed at Xew Orleans, April 3d, 
1864. 

On the 4th we got off of the boat and went into quarters in 
the First Louisiana Cotton Press. We were kept in under a 
heavy guard and the boys were angry, as they wanted to get out 
and run at large over the city. 

On the 1 2th we received a month's pay. At three p. m. we 
got marching orders. We boarded a gulf steamer and went up 
the river one hundred twenty miles. We got off at Baton Rouge, 
and went into camp on the south side of town. 



lOI 

Here we received news of Banks' defeat at Sabine Cross 
Roads. General Green's brigade made a charge on our iron- 
clads, but were repulsed with a heavy loss. While at this camp 
two men of our regiment were wounded owing to the careless- 
ness of a recruit while he was cleaning his gun. 

May 2d three regiments and the Fourth Wisconsin cavalry, 
with the Black Horse battery, went towards Clinton on a scout. 
At night we halted and went into camp. The next morning at 
eight o'clock we ran into the enemy, and had a sharp little fight. 
We drove them back to Olive Branch Church. Our loss in 
this fight was two killed and four wounded. The Major of the 
Fourth Wisconsin was killed. We reached camp the 4th. On 
the morning of the 8th a salute was fired and the body of the 
Major of the Fourth ^^'isconsin cavalry was escorted to the 
boat and sent to his home to be buried. 

On the 9th quite a skirmish took place on the picket line. On 
the 2 1st we drew two months' pay and one installment of our 
bounty. 

On the 1 6th of June we were inspected by Major General 
Sickles. The weather now was very warm, and our picket duty 
and drill kept us busy. We had plenty of watermelons to eat, 
and if one had the money, he could buy all of the luxuries of 
life. Nothing of importance happened until August 3d, 1864. 

At that time a detail of sixteen picked men was sent out five 
miles east of camp to guard five hundred acres of cotton that 
was being raised by yankees. The government was to get a 
part of the cotton. We slipped out after night and about eleven 
o'clock came to the negro quarters. Thinking that we were rebels 
they skipped in all directions. There were all sorts, sizes and 
colors of them. They soon found out their mistake, and came 
back and cooked for us. 



I02 

We moved our line down into the edge of the timber, one 
mile from quarters. The third evening" two spies passed out 
through our hne. They were dressed in female attire. Soon 
after the last one passed we could see some rebel cavalry about 
three miles distant. We drew off and had a run for our lives. 
They overtook us at our cavalry post and we had a skirmish. 
Two of our men were killed. 

On the 4th we lay in line of battle all night. On the morning 
of the /th at four o'clock, we were ordered into line and formed 
our line of battle on our picket line. Some of our non-veterans 
— who had come back to our regiment — raised a racket, as it 
was time for them to be discharged, but they had to face the 
music. They moved off on a boat in the afternoon, as they were 
anxious to get home and did not want to be killed after they had 
served out their three years' faithful time. 

The rebel army was threatening us every day, although sev- 
eral of them were coming in and taking the oath of allegiance. 

On the 15th of August, 1864. our regiment was assigned to 
the Second brigade of the Third dixision, in the Nineteenth 
corps. On the i6th at eleven a. m., we struck tents and marched 
on board the steamer "Starlight." We landed at Morganza 
Bend at seven o'clock. On the morning of the 14th we ran up 
the river two miles above the fort. 

\Ye got off of the boat and went into camp. We lay here 
until the morning of the 21st, when we struck tents and marched 
down the river five miles to join our brigade. September 6th, 
at two a. m., we were ordered on board the steamer "Chouteau." 
We ran down to Bayou Saira, where one of our boats had been 
fired into by a rebel battery. 

Our force, which consisted of two white regiments and one 
colored regiment, got off of the boats early in the morning, and 
marched out through St. Francisville. After a rapid march of 



I03 

five miles, we ran into a rebel camp, but the occupants had all 
skipped, except four, which we made prisoners of war. We 
returned to our boats, and at four o'clock got back to our camp 
at Morganza. 

On the 1 2th a salute was fired on account of a victory which 
had been gained. It was the surrender of Forts Morgan, Gains 
and Powell, the defenses of Mobile. This let us through the 
pass. Companies B and K of our regiment were sent on board 
the ironclad Ozark on duty, ^^'e had almost all of the citizens 
in this parish protected by safeguards. The rebels took these 
men prisoners, and captured their horses. Our General gave 
them to understand that if they were not returned that that 
parish would be destroyed by fire. They thought that he meant 
it, and they came in with a flag of truce and delivered them up. 
But we failed to furnish any more guards to guard rebel prop- 
erty. 

On the evening of the i6th we marched out to Bayou Atcha- 
fayala. We were in the Second brigade, which numbered two 
thousand, eight hundred. Our commander was Colonel Spicely. 

A rebel force of three thousand men and nine heavy guns 
were posted on the opposite side of the bayou, behind the levee. 
We charged up at two o'clock that night and took possession of 
the levee. The rebels all along the line opened fire on us. We 
were running against a solid sheet of fire, and the air was full 
of cannister, but we got there all the, same. 

We lay here skirmishing all day. The hot sun came down 
on us and we had no water or food, but we could not get back 
until night. At night we drew ofif and marched back to camp. 
We had four men wounded. The rebel loss was three killed and 
seven wounded. 

On the evening of the 19th another expedition was planned. 
Some of us were to go out against the rel^els at Atchafayala at 



I04 

night. Our brigade was chosen to try them again. In addition 
we took with us two good batteries. After a rapid march of 
fourteen miles we came near the bayou. 

At four o'clock in the morning we went to work planting our 
batteries and protecting them with redoubts. The two cavalries 
kept up a skirmish all day, but we failed to get a reply from the 
rebels' batteries. They had disappeared. Our batteries threw 
shells a mile into the timber, and our infantry and cavalry began 
crossing over. 

That evening we crossed over in yawls, which were hauled 
for that purpose. The cavalrymen swam their horses over. We 
had no resistance. We could see a small force of rebels hurrying 
from Ijehind the le\-ee when we started to cross. These had 
been left as guards. The main armies evacuated their works. 
They had left four hundred beef cattle, which fell to our pos- 
session. The)' were guarded by three hundred rebel cavalrymen, 
but they skipped out. 

We marched up the bayou two and a half miles and captured 
three prisoners who had been left out on picket duty. Seeing 
that the enemy had all disappeared, we marched back to the 
place where we had crossed the bayou. Here we went into 
camp. 

Soon everyone was busy, preparing himself a good square 
meal, as almost all of the boys had a good piece of fresh meat. 
There was pork, mutton, chicken, goose, or almost any kind of 
meat that one could mention. The odor of the fried meat soon 
filled the air, and many hungry boys were working hard to 
satisfy their gnawing appetites. 

At night several buildings were set on fire, thus causing a 
false alarm. Some of the officers thought that we were going 
to have a night attack. One of the fires was a large mill. We 
fell in line of battle, but soon found out our mistake. We then 



I05 

went back to bed, some of the boys swearing because of their 
night's rest being disturbed. 

All was well on the morning of the 21st, so we started out 
on a foraging expedition. We were soon loaded down with 
fowl and all kinds of meat and went back to camp. In the 
e\'ening we learned that the rebel force had fallen back about 
eighteen miles to Yellow Bayou. We decided to not follow 
them any farther. 

On the morning of the 22d we crossed the bayou, marched 
one mile, and went into camp near where the colored troops 
were building fortifications. Late in the evening our cavalry, 
which had been out on a scout, returned. They had burned and 
destroyed a great deal of property, and had captured three 
prisoners. Several negroes were following them. These had 
stuck fire to their quarters, and had started for the land of free- 
dom. 

On the morning of the 23d we began our march back to the 
bend. We arrived at camp at five o'clock in the evening. We 
found Companies B and K of our regiment in camp. Thev had 
been relieved from the ironclad. 

On the 26th of August our regiment escorted General Law- 
ler to Baton Rouge. We went on the steamer "Laurel Hill." 
We got to the city at noon. We got off of the boat and marched 
up to our old parading ground. We w^ere led by our regimental 
band, one of the best in the army. Here we stacked arms to 
await further orders. We were acquainted with many of the 
citizens, and were treated very well by them. At four o'clock 
we got on board the boat and went back to camp. 

October the ist, 1864, three regiments marched out to Atcha- 
fayala. We found a small force of rebels. After a slight en- 
gagement, we drove them off and returned to camp. 

On the morning of the 2d a small force, with Colonel Spicely, 



io6 

went to St. Francisville. Here they had an engagement with the 
rebel general, Scott's cavalry, and two batteries. They had to fall 
back to the gunboats for help. The gunboats shelled them back 
until our little force got on the boats and drew off. They then 
returned to camp. Our loss was four. The rebel loss was un- 
known. 

On the morning of the 7th, a brigade, with Colonel Spicely in 
command, went back to try them again, but Scott was too sharp 
for us. He had slipped out and had taken other quarters, unknown 
to us. 

On the morning of the 9th a detail was called out to guard 
a train of wagons. They were going after lumber with which 
to build Avinter quarters. We found the lumber at Echo Office, 
on General Scott's plantation, which is near Point Coupee. We 
loaded the wagons and returned to camp. 

In the evening a body of rebels came into our camp, bearing 
a flag of truce. They had come to turn over some arms and 
horses which they had captured from our safeguards. The citi- 
zens were getting tired of having so much of their property 
burned down, in retaliation of their gorilla warfare. They also 
wanted two rebel officers, who had shot their lieutenant and 
then had come to our camp for protection. 

Late in the evening our troops who had gone out to Atcha- 
fa}'ala. returned to camp. They had had a sharp fight, losing 
fifteen men in killed and wounded. The rebel loss was not 
known, as the bayou separated the two armies. On the morn- 
ing of the loth we got on board the steamer "Chouteau." We 
ran fifty miles up the river, near Fort Adams. The rebels were 
trying to swim cattle, which they had driven from Texas, across 
the ri\er. Thev were trying to get them to Lee's army. Our 
gunboats had thrown shell into the herd, killing a great many of 
the cattle. 



I07 

On the morning of the nth we marched off of the boat and 
marched out into a swamp. We lay in ambush all day at this 
place. After darkness had set in, we marched back on to the 
boat. On the morning of the 12th we marched out on track of 
the rebels. Their herd of cattle had left a good trail. We went 
to Black Pass. Here we captured two wagons and six prisoners. 
Two of them were officers. We marched back as far as Swamp 
Bayou. On the morning of the 13th we returned to the boat. 
We were all tired and hungry, for we were out of rations, and 
nothing grew in this swampy place, except alligators and snakes. 

At three p. m. we got on the boat and started back down the 
river. We landed and at ten o'clock we were in our quarters. 
Here we learned that some sharp skirmishing had been going on 
since we left camp. 

On the morning of the i8th we sent out a force from the 
bend consisting of two batteries, two thousand cavalrymen, and 
one thousand, six hundred infantry, to Sims' Port, on the 
Atchafayala Bayou. They ran into the rebel force, drove them 
back and returned to camp, on the 20th. 

On the 22d a wagon train was sent out after wood. It was 
guarded by two companies of the Second New York cavalry. 
They were surprised by a small force of rebels and captured. 
There were also twenty-two negroes, four of whom were killed. 
There was a force of our cavalry at the bend. They pursued 
the rebels, but did not catch up with them. 

On the 23d heavy cannonading was heard from our gun- 
boats on Red river, and we could see great clouds of smoke. On 
the 28th a national salute was fired over news received of a vic- 
tory gained in the East by Sheridan's troops. 

In th€ evening of the 28th a brigade marched out to Atcha- 
fayala. They found no enemy and returned to camp that night. 



io8 

On the 31st a large detail and a train of wagons went after lum- 
ber with which to build winter quarters. 

On the ist of November all of our brigade except the Twen- 
ty-fourth Indiana, was sent out on an expedition. They ran 
up the river near the mouth of White river. On the 7th our regi- 
ment, the Twenty-fourth Indiana, embarked oh the steamer 
"Ohio Belle," and ran up the river fifteen miles to where the 
gunboat "Ozark" Avas stationed. We got off and marched six 
miles out through the country. This is the most broken country 
which we were in While in Louisiana. 

We found plenty of women on this trip, but no men. Al- 
most all of the women claimed to be widows. One old Irish 
lady gave one of the boys a good cursing. She said that he 
was not a genteel Irishman or he would not be caught in the 

d yankee army. She also said that her husband was a 

genteel man and was captain of a company in the Second Louis- 
iana regiment. 

Our officers gave orders for the boys to not take off more 
geese and chickens than they could carry. While the old lady 
was swearing around the boys soon had her geese, turkeys and 
chickens divided up between themselves. The fellow that could 
run the fastest got the most. 

We started back to the boat loaded down with poultry. It 
rained on the way back, making our march very disagreeable. 
We captured two prisoners on the return to the boat. We 
marched at will and were badly scattered. We got to the boat 
about sunset. It was a sight to be remembered to look back and 
see our straggling boys coming down the long slope to the river, 
loaded down with flopping geese and squalling chickens. 

We got on the boat and landed at the bend at ten o'clock 
that night. On the 23d two hundred rebel cavalrymen made a 



109 

dash on our picket line, half a mile from camp. The colored 
troops were stationed at this place. The rebels killed a white 
lieutenant and six negroes and left. They also made a dash on 
the lower part of our picket line. Here they killed two of our 
white soldiers and then made their escape to the rear. 

November 27th we had grand review by General Ulman. 
Nothing more of importance, except camp duty and drill, oc- 
curred until December nth, 1864, when the captain of gunboat 
number fifty-three of our Mosquito Fleet, while the boat was 
near Hog's Point, went on shore and was killed by gorillas. 

We were immediately called upon to fit up an army to go on 
an expedition, and scour and destroy all of the country for 
twentv miles around that vicinity. The troops that were fitted 
up were the Twenty- fourth and Sixty-seventh Indiana, three 
companies of colored troops and two companies of cavalry, ac- 
companied by four gunboats. We were under the command of 
Colonel \\\ T. Spicely. 

^^'e went twenty-five miles to Hog's Point, where the cav- 
alry and colored troops got off and marched down Old river. 
\^^e went on down one mile and turned into the mouth of Old 
river. \\'e went up twenty miles, near to the place where our 
cavalrv was scouring the country. We landed and sent large 
details on shore to confiscate and burn all of the property in that 
vicinity. 

At four o'clock our entire force got off and marched six 
miles out through the country, in the direction of the Cutoff. 
We set fire to all of the buildings and captured several horses, 
mules, and cattle. Here we went into camp and foraging parties 
were sent out in all directions. This was a very rich country 
and was settled mostly by the French. The boats were soon 
loaded to the guard with horses, hogs, cattle, sugar, molasses, 
and poultry of every description. We were learning them a 



no 

lesson for their sneaking gorilla warfare. Taking the life of 
one of our captains had cost them thousands of dollars. 

On the morning of the i6th a detail was sent to guard the 
boats and the remainder of the force marched through by land 
to Alorganza Bend. After we had marched fifteen miles, at nine 
o'clock we got to the camp. At ten the boats got to the bend 
and landed. 

We almost got into a scrap over the private forage. Colonel 
Spicely and the provost marshall had some hard words over the 
boys' chickens, pork, and other private forage which they were 
bringing to camp. General, the provost marshall, and his col- 
ored guards, marched down to take possession of our well- 
supplied boats. While Spicely and the General were parleying, 
the boys were getting their forage ofif of the boats by the means 
of skiffs, and several barrels of molasses were rolled down 
through the wheel house. Our boys were getting a little stirred 
up over the colored provost guards, and we all expected trouble, 
but we were mistaken. 

We had regimental inspection on the i8th. On the 19th of 
December the Twenty- fourth and Sixty-seventh Indiana w^ere 
consolidated and formed a battalion. On the 21st several offi- 
cers of the Sixty-seventh were mustered out of service and sent 
home. 



CHAPTER XV. 

December 24th. 1864, we received marching" orders. We got 
un board a boat and started for Baton Rouge. We arrived there 
at two o'clock. On the morning of the 25th we got off of the 
boat and went into camp on our old camp ground. We re- 
lieved two regiments from guard duty, whose time had ex- 
pired, and thev started home at two p. m. We had grand re- 
view that day. That was a dry Christmas for us, but we kept 
up a little fun just the same. 

On the ex-ening of the 29th we received marching orders, 
struck tents, and marched on board the ''Laurel Hill." We 
landed at New Orleans on the morning of the 30th and re- 
ported to General Hulbert. W^e got orders to run up to Car- 
rollton. Here we disembarked, marched out one mile on the 
Shell Road and pitched our camp. 

January 5th, 1865, we drew^ four months' pay and one in- 
stallment of our bounty. On the nth we were reviewed by 
Lieutenant Colonel Smith at two p. m. We received orders and 
marched to Kennerville on the 19th. We went into camp and 
had such bad rainy weather that we had to wade around camp 
in mud that was knee deep. 

On the 24th we received marching orders. Every one re- 
joiced because we were all tired of that mud hole. At four p. m. 
we marched on board the steamship ''Corinthian," which was 
bound for Pensacola, Florida. On the morning of the 25th we 
ran to the gulf, the distance being one hundred miles. As we 
pulled out of the mouth of the river the waves were rolling a 



112 

great deal, and several of our boys got very sick and almost 
threw up their socks. After we had sailed an hour, the water 
became smooth and we glided along very nicely. 

We ran in sight of our gunboat fleet which was anchored at 
the mouth of Mobile Bay. At ten p. m. we cast anchor in Pen- 
sacola Bay, near Fort Pickens, Florida. 

The morning of the 26th brought to view some grand sights 
in that mild tropical climate that were new to us. There stood 
two large forts, Fort Pickens and Fort Barancas with their 
monstrous guns pointing out through many embrasures. There 
also stood the lighthouse towering up two hundred eighty-four 
feet above sea level. 

We hoisted anchor and ran over to the wharf. We got off 
of the vessel, marched out eight miles, and went into camp near 
Fort Redoubt, which is below the city of Pensacola, Florida. 
This was a beautiful, sandy shore beach covered with a pine 
forest. 

At eight o'clock the left wing of our battalion came in on 
the ship ''St. Mary." On the morning of the 27th the balance 
of our brigade, commanded by General Andrews, came in. and 
we all moved out one mile and went into camp. 

All of the regiments were lined up in camp, making a fine 
show of camp life. Each company went to work and orna- 
mented their quarters with evergreen and white and yellow 
sand, writing numbers and names in the white sand with the 
yellow sand. This was the most magnificent camp that I ever 
saw. There were pictures of animals, birds, and all kinds of 
flowers in front of our tents. 

We lay here until February 11, 1865, with nothing to do 
except to have battalion drill four hours each day. The remain- 
der of the time we put in by wading out in the bay and carrying 
out shoulder loads of oysters. We were having a good time 



113 

then, but we did not know when the storm would come, al- 
though we did know that come it would. 

We had protracted meeting and several marched down in 
the bay and were baptized. 

On the 1 2th we had grand review by General Granger. We 
had no more drill after the i6th. One day a salute of eleven 
shots was fired over the arrival of General Asboth. 

On the 17th and i8th we had target shooting, and in the 
evening Generals Asboth and Andrews came over to see the 
Twenty- fourth Indiana perform on dress parade. On the 29th 
a brigade came in and we sent our baggage and camp equipage 
over to Fort Pickens. This fort mounted two hundred eightv 
heavy pivot guns. This is the place where i\Iajor Brown held 
against General Bragg' s army at the commencement of the war. 
I was in the lookout, two hundred eighty feet above the sea level. 
One can see for miles o^•er that vast blue water. Two ships 
came in with a battery on each vessel. 

March 8th we received marching orders, but lay here until 
the morning of the i ith. At six o'clock we marched out through 
the peninsula, and after traveling twelve miles came to the town 
of Pensacola. This had the appearance of a nice city, but fire 
had consumed the most of the buildings. 

At four o'clock we moved out near Jackson's old fortifica- 
tions and went into camp. This is the place from where General 
Jackson marched his troops to New Orleans and whipped Gen- 
eral Packenham, in the year 1812. 

On the 15th we had our camp in good shape again, and we^ 
had dress parade in the evening. Fifty rebel cavalrymen made 
a dash on our cavalry outpost and drove them back. General 
xA.ndrews happened to be out in the advance and the}- made 
him cut dirt to get back to our main lines. 

On the fifth we drew five days' rations and began marching 



114 

at six o'clock. On the morning of the 20th five thousand cav- 
alrymen came from Barancas. They passed us and took the 
advance. We marched in the direction of Pollard on the Mobile 
and Atlanta railroad. The country was low and swampy, cov- 
ered with a pine forest. We had a time getting our train and 
batteries through. Many of them mired down and had to be 
pulled out by hand. 

After a march of twelve miles, tired and worn out, we went 
into camp. That night we could hear the roar of the cannon at 
Fort Spanish, near Mobile. A heavy rain poured down all 
night, and it was still raining the next morning. \\'e marched 
out five miles and went into camp, as all of our wagon trains and 
batteries had been left in the rear mired down. Some of them 
were almost out of sight in the mud. A hea^•y detail was sent 
back to build corduroy roads and bring them up. 

Our pioneer corps was at work in front, constructing a bridge 
across a bayou. Several of the boys in different regiments were 
killed by falling trees while they were cutting trees with which 
to build the roads. In some places the logs laid three tiers deep 
to hold our batteries out of the mire. 

At two p. m. on the 22d the rain ceased falling, and the 
weather became clear. Here two regiments of cavalry and two 
brigades of colored troops passed us on their wav to the front. 

We began marching at ten o'clock on the morning of the 
23d. After a distance of tweh'e miles had been marched, we 
went into camp. Here our cavalry had run into a small force of 
rebels. They had quite a skirmish, but drove the rebs back. 
We lay in camp on the 24th waiting for a bridge to be built so 
that we could cross Piney Barren. At six o'clock we crossed 
over, moved out two miles and went into camp. 

On the morning of the 25th at seven o'clock we began our 
march. After a march of two hours we ran into a rebel force 



of about four thousand, commanded by General Clayton. Our 
cavalry and mounted infantry charged them, and after forty 
minutes" hard fighting, the rebel force fell back. They were all 
mounted troops. \\'e followed them, and our advance kept up 
a continual skirmish until three o'clock. The rebels then formed 
in line of battle and made a stand. Our cavalry made a grand 
charge, ^^'e came up as a support. The rebels, seeing that we 
meant business, fell back and were soon on full retreat, across the 
Escanby river. The}' set the bridge on fire and tried to make a 
stand, but Xims' battery made it too hot for them and they 
soon fell back. Some in our ca\-alry were drowned in trying to 
cross the river after them. 

We captured one hundred, forty-two prisoners. Their loss 
in killed and wounded was twenty, ours fifteen. Their general 
was wounded in the first charge. 

/\t four thirty p. m. wq went into camp on the advance line. 
We were all very tired, as we had driven the rebels eighteen 
miles that day. On the 25th our brigade crossed the railroad 
bridge. We had to march single file and it took some time to 
cross, but after two hours had elapsed we were all across and 
standing on Alabama soil. 

We began marching at eight o'clock, and in a few hours we 
came to the little town of Pollard. A few straggling rebels were 
in town, but they did not stay to see what we wanted. A great 
deal of tobacco was captured at this place, and the depot and 
several warehouses were set on fire, making quite an excitement. 

The women in this place came out by scores to see the yan- 
kee army. They were surprised, and some of them said, "Youalls 
is the best lookin' set of men that weuns ever seen. Mr. Davis 
told weuns that youalls wore little red coats and had horns like 
cattle." 

This was the most ignorant set of girls that we had met in 



ii6 

the southern Confederacy. All of them chewed and smoked 
tobacco. Each one had a ridicule, filled with tobacco, hanging 
on her arm. They were dressed in home-spun dresses and were 
barefooted. Our boys had more than a little fun out of them. 
Oiuite a number of grown girls started to follow us off, and our 
major had to drive them back. Enlightened America, where was 
the ignorance of these good people hedged in at, at this late 
date of our civilized government? 

After the depot had been burned and a mile of railroad track 
torn up and burned we moved out two miles and went into camp. 
We were all tired after our march of fourteen miles. 

On the 27th a detachment of cavalry, which had gone by the 
way of Evergreen Station, came into camp and reported. They 
had captured one hundred forty prisoners and two trains loaded 
with tobacco. This they burned. We began marching at 
twelve o'clock, our regiment detailed as train guard. After a 
fourteen mile march in the direction of Mobile we went into 
camp. 

At one o'clock on the morning of the 28th heavy details were 
sent out to build corduroy roads. We were out of rations and 
had to move on. We went into camp, nine miles farther on. 
The cavalry and colored troops passed us on the way to the 
front. The Ninety-seventh Illinois lost one man by a tree falling 
on him. 

We began marching at six o'clock. Our regiment was build- 
ing roads. It began raining, making the roads terrible. We 
marched only nine miles and went into camp at six p. m. We 
Vvcre tired and \-ery hungry, as we were out of rations. On the 
morning of the 30th we began marching at seven o'clock. We 
reached better roads after a half day's march. We went into 
camp at seven o'clock. One company of cavalry was sent out to 



.117 

the Alabama river. They captured twelve prisoners and re- 
turned. 

On the morning of the 31st, at six o'clock, we marched out 
over a very rough, broken country. At half past five we crossed 
the Tennsas river and went into camp. \\'e were very tired, as 
we had marched almost twenty miles with but little to eat, 

April 1st, 1865, ^"^'^ marched at eleven a. m. We traveled 
six miles and halted. W'e tore up the railroad track quite a dis- 
tance. We could hear heavy cannonading in front. We com- 
pleted our work and marched on. We went into camp at seven 
p. m. Our cavalry captured eighty prisoners and a stand of 
colors belonging to the Forty-sixth Mississippi. Here we drew 
quarter rations. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

On the morning of April 2d. 1865, we heard heavy cannon- 
ading in front. We began marching at eleven o'clock, and when 
we had gone six miles we came in range of the enemy's heavy 
batteries and ironclad gunboats, which lay at Tennsas Bay. We 
advanced at two p. m., under a heavy rain of shot and shell. We 
moved up and formed in line of battle with a loss of one man in 
Company E killed. 

We now formed our lines around Fort Blakely, one of the 
strong defenses of Mobile. Our troops were stationed under a 
heavy artillery fire from forts and gunboats, on the lines as fol- 
lows : Our colored division was placed on the right next (sev- 
eral of them were going to the rear with bloody heads) next to 
the bay; our division commanded by C. C. Andrews, came in 
next on the line ; and Osterhos. Carr, and Veach were to our left. 

We were furnished with shovels and soon went down into 
the earth like moles. The laziest man that lives will work under 
circumstances like these. The rebel forts mounted some very 
large Brooks rifles, which threw thirty-two to one hundred 
eighty-four pound shots. They also had three ironclad gun- 
boats. 

Our force, which was commanded by General Granger, was 
at Fort Spanish, seven miles to our left. There had been fighting 
there for several days. We could hear our fleet bombarding at 
night. The jar from the heavy guns almost shook the ground. 
But we also had plenty here to draw our attention. 

April 3d. 1865. we strengthened our earthworks all along 



119 

the line. Our artillery was not in position yet, but our sharp- 
shooters kept up a lively racket. A continual roar was still 
kept up by our gunboats and heavy guns at Fort Spanish. Colonel 
Spicely and three out of our regiment were wounded that day. 
This was the first time since we had left Pensacola that w^e drew 
full rations. 

On the 4th we heard heavy fighting at Fort Spanish. Our 
land forces were making it hot for them and charging was going 
on. We could hear them cheering all around their lines. 

On the 5th there was sharp fighting all along our lines. Two 
men were killed and one wounded in our regiment. We tried 
to advance our rifle pit^. At night our company moved forward 
one hundred yards to establish a new line. 

On the morning of the 6th our batteries being in position, 
opened on the rebels. They did not reply for some time, but 
when they did let loose it was a sight. The air was full of iron 
and one could see the dirt and limbs of trees flying in all direc- 
tions. There was a solid crash and roar from the big guns on 
the rebel forts. 

On the 7th. at four a. m., our company took position in the 
advance pits. We were advancing our w^orks well. I was one 
of the three vedettes w'ho were stationed in the extreme advance, 
two hundred yards from the fort and eighty yards from the rebel 
sharpshooters. During the day five bullets cut the sod above 
the loop hole through which we w-ere shooting, but w^e escaped 
their deadly message. After dark we crawled out and advanced 
fifty yards and established other pits. But we discovered just 
now that we were running into a nest of torpedoes, and they 
w^ere dangerous things to dig around. 

We W'Cre relieved at nine p. m. At twelve our artillery 
opened all along the line, and the rebels soon replied. The two 
artilleries had cjuite a duel. 



I20 

On the morning of the 8th there was a general engagement 
all around the line. Some heavy shells which were thrown by 
the rebels' gunboat fell in the rear of our rifle pits. They went 
ten feet into the ground and exploded, throwing up a cloud of 
dust and leaA'ing quite a hole in the ground. We had a simple 
recruit in our company by the name of Alurray. He jumped 
out of our pit and stepped up to the edge of the hole. 

Captain Taylor called out, "Murray, get down from there! 
You will get your fool head bio wed of¥." 

He answered. "Guess not, Captain ; they can't hit that hole 
again." 

But several more shots were put in too close to feel comfort- 
able. 

Four of our thirty-two pound Parrot guns, manned by the 
Twenty-first Indiana, had an hour's engagement with two rebel 
gunboats. One of the boats was disabled and drew ofT down 
the bay. The other one took warning and did not stay long. 
Our regiment began digging cjuarters pits and received march- 
ing orders to go to Fort Spanish, but they were countered. We 
then lay in the pits all night and supported the Pioneers. 

An assault was made on Fort Spanish at six o'clock in the 
evening. A desperate struggle, which lasted four hours, follow- 
ed. General Granger's brave boys then charged over the rebels' 
strong fortifications and captured seven hundred prisoners and 
one hundred heavy guns. This put a damper on the rebel army 
at Blakely. 

April 9th, 1865. everything was quiet in the fort. Some 
rumors were going that the rebels were evacuating the fort. At 
three o'clock all of us fell in line and moved into our advance 
rifle pit. The colored troops made a charge on our right, and 
the rebels opened concentrated fire on them. They were repulsed 



121 

with heavy slaughter. They fell back to a deep hollow and were 
not able to make a second attack. 

Our skirmish line was ordered to charge all along our lines 
at five o'clock. We had to go two hundred fifty yards, through 
three picket fences and over hundreds of torpedoes, to gain their 
main forts. I was on the skirmish line, and looking back, I saw 
our entire force coming, everyone trying to get across that field 
of death and destruction. 

At first many brave comrades planted their colors on the 
rebel fortifications, to pitch over into the rifle pits, with a bullet 
crashing through their heads. Scores were blown out of exist- 
ence by torpedoes. The air was full of cannister and minnie 
balls, but the work was short and decisive. As soon as the rebels 
found out that nothing would stop our determined assault they 
hosited up white flags all along the line. But it was not before 
they were covered with the blood of brave boys who were shot 
and had fallen over into the pits on them. 

This charge had lasted about fifty minutes. The rebel troops 
in front of the colored troops surrendered to our division, for 
they knew that the negroes would not show them any quarters, 
as they came up with the shout of "Fort Pillow," and they con- 
tinued to shoot at the rebels even after they raised the white 
flags. 

The loss in our division was four hundred killed and wound- 
ed. The loss in our regiment was fifteen. Captain Merchant of 
Company G fell dead on the field. Colonel Spicely's horse was 
blown up by a torpedo. 

We captured four thousand prisoners and one hundred heavy 
Brooks' cannon. Three thousand of the rebel troops had made 
their escape on trees felled across the swamp to the Sand Bat- 
tery. It was about sunset when we got into the fort. 

Three rebel ironclads were lying out in the bay, awaiting a 



122 

barge load of marines who had been in the rifle pits. George 
Williamson, of our company, wheeled a little brass gun into 
position and fired a shell over the marines. It bursted forty 
feet too high, but it had the effect all the same. They came back 
to shore faster than they had gone out, with white flags flutter- 
ing in the air. The gunboats moved on down the bay towards 
the sand batteries. 

Our regiment moved down and took charge of the commis- 
saries, which were well supplied. Two old messmates, Clark and 
Tolliver and I saw the uii])er room lighted up. We went up- 
stairs, and it pro\ed to be the officers" dining room. A colonel, 
for supper. 

The table was the best supplied one that we had seen for 
months. There was chicken and other good things too numer- 
ous to mention. 

Clark called out, "Hello, rebs ! Thanks for your good sup- 
per. We are in need of something of that sort after a hard 
day's work. Get out of here!" 

They pleaded for more time but had to be contented to go 
with a piece in hand. Two of our soldiers came in and wanted 
the honor of capturing some ofificers. We turned the officers 
over to them and took our places at the table. We enjoyed as 
good a meal as we had eaten for months. 

As I passed out and downstairs, I picked up a caddy of old 
Virginia tobacco to divide up with the boys at a dollar a plug. 

The Sixteenth corps charged on our left. Their loss was not 
as heavy as ours. Several of them were blown up by torpedoes 
at night. On the morning of the loth we marched out to where 
our quarters were on the line. We passed over that ragged 
battle field, and a rebel major and a squad of prisoners were 
raising torpedoes. They were as thick as pumpkins on new 



123 

ground. They exploded several by means of a battery. There 
were long rows of them which were fastened together by wires. 

Heavy bombarding was going at the sand batteries, which is 
about half way between Forts Blakely and Spanish. On the 
nth we had general inspection. Heavy clouds of smoke were 
seen in the direction of Mobile. Much was going on at that 
place. The rebels evacuated the sand batteries and Mobile at 
eleven a. m., leaving all of their heavy guns and monitors of 
war in our possession. 

We received marching orders at five p. m. and marched all 
night. After traveling a distance of thirteen miles we reached 
the landing below Fort Spanish. All was quiet now, except the 
cheering that went on over our great victories. Our recruiting 
ofificers returned and we got the news that Richmond had fallen 
into our possession April 2d, 1865, and the Stars and Stripes 
now waved over the southern Confederacy. 

We lay here until the 14th of April, when we marched back 
to Blakely. On our way back we met some prisoners whom we 
had taken at Blakely. We went into camp inside the fort at 
two o'clock. On the evening of the i5ch we had general in- 
spection. Heavy details were at work, getting up all of the 
artillery and small arms which we had captured. 

Sunday, the i6th, church was held throughout our entire 
army, and many prayers went up to God for his kindness in 
saving so many of our lives through the past butchery and hell. 

On the 17th a national salute was fired over the success of 
our armies in the surrender of Forts Spanish, Blakely, Tracy, 
and Huger, which placed Mobile in our possession. We had 
also received the news of General Lee's surrender. He sur- 
rendered to General Grant, April 9th, 1865 (the same time at 
which we captured Fort Blakely) at Appomattox Court House, 
in Virginia. 



124 

On the 19th one of our boys in Company G stepped on a 
torpedo, just outside of camp and was blown up in the air 
fifteen feet. One leg was blown off. his ribs mashed in, and one 
arm shattered to the shoulder. 

On the morning of the 20th we marched on board a boat 
and ran six miles do\\n the bay to Mobile. We saw several 
torpedoes explode in the bay, throwing the water fifty feet high. 
We had several torpedo rakes at work knocking them off. The 
"St. Mary'" had been blown up at the mouth of the pass which is 
known as Grant's Pass. These monsters of destruction were 
planted all over the bay. 

Our department was commanded by General E. S. Canby. 
The surrender of the defenses around Mobile were the last hard 
battles of the great Civil war. 

On the evening of the 21st we went up above the city and 
anchored in the mouth of the Mobile river. At this place we 
first heard the news of the assassination of our beloved presi- 
dent, Abraham Lincoln. His life was taken by John Wilkes 
Booth, at Ford's theater, on the night of April T4th, 1865. This 
sad news put a damper over our army. Our flags were all 
dropped to half-mast, and many of the boys shed tears and were 
mourning. These same boys had shouted themselves hoarse a 
few days before over our great victories, which aided in putting 
dow^n the rebellion, for we well knew that peace was near at 
hand. The chief cornerstone of our American government had 
now been stilled for all time by the hands of a wicked assassin. 

Two of our gunboats and thirteen transports, loaded with 
troops, had gathered at this place. On the morning of the 22d 
we pulled up the river to the mouth of the Tomgigby river, to 
await the arrixal of the remainder of our fleet. Here we found 
one of our gunboats, lying on guard duty. During the day sev- 



125 

eral flat boats loaded with citizens passed us on the way back to 
Mobile. 

On the morning of the 23d we hoisted anchor and ran on up 
the Alabama river to Chocktaw Bluffs, which was sixty miles 
away. The rebels had had this place fortified, but had gone, 
leaving two heavy guns on the fort. 

On the morning of the 24th we started on up the river and 
landed at Clayburn. sixty miles distant, at four p. m. We found 
some of our cavalry here, who had been left as safeguards. 
Three heavy guns had been planted at this place. We landed 
and the boys soon brought in plenty of pork and chickens for 
supper. 

On the morning of the 25th we moved on up the river at six 
a. m. After we had gone seventy miles we anchored at nine 
o'clock. This is a beautiful country and has very large planta- 
tions. The colored troops got off of the boats here and marched 
through by land. 

On the 26th we ran along by the side of the "Mustang" and 
drew rations, as this was a commissary boat. We passed Mattee's 
landing at nine o'clock and Prairie Bluff at ten. We captured a 
flat boat, which was loaded with rebel supplies, and was trying 
to get away from our cavalry. Our advance boat was fired into 
by a squad of gorillas and one man was killed. We landed, got 
off of the boats and found where their horses had just been fed, 
but now thev were fleeing for safer quarters, ^^'e burned all 
of the buildings on several plantations. 

We got on the boats and moved on up the ri\-er. ^Nlany dead 
rebel soldiers and horses floated past us during the day. They 
had been drowned at the time of Wilson's raid, ^^'e landed at 
ten o'clock at night. 

On the morning of the 27th we passed Cahawba, where we 



126 

took three of our men from the rebels, who they had made pris- 
oners. Some of the citizens of this place cheered our brave boys 
while they played national airs. We landed at Selma at two 
o'clock. We went into camp on the river bank opposite the 
town. This is a beautiful little town, situated on the bank of the 
Alabama river. The surrounding country is also very beautiful. 

The boys went out and soon returned with plenty of good 
things to eat. We lay here until the morning of the 28th. We 
then broke camp, crossed the river and marched through the 
town. We went into camp near the rebel fortifications, which 
General Wilson's cavalry had charged and captured a few days 
before. They had blown up the arsenal and burned many stores. 
They then continued on their raid, and went in the direction of 
Montgomery, the capital of the state. This was called, Wilson's 
Raid. 

There had been strong fortifications around this arsenal, as 
we could see. Many heavy guns and hundreds of pounds of am- 
munition had been turned out of this arsenal. Many of the citi- 
zens were now coming in and taking the oath of allegiance to 
our government. 

April 29th we sent a force out on a scout to look for rebels. 
They found several paroled prisoners whom Wilson had cap- 
tured. April 30th we were mustered for eight months" pay. In 
the evening a small force of rebels came in bearing a flag of 
truce. They were bringing provisions to their sick and wounded 
in the hospitals here. We were ,busy all day cleaning and 
straightening up our quarters. 

May 3d, 1865, a general order was read at dress parade. It 
was as follows : ''There will be a cessation of hostilities until 
further orders, by order of General E. S. Canby, commander of 
the Department of the Gulf, and there will be forty-eight hours' 
notice given before going into hostilities again." ^ 



127 

On the 5th of May an official report said : "There will be 
no more fighting done east of the Mississippi." That day, cheer- 
ing and music were kept up throughout our camps. 

Dick Taylor had surrendered the last armed, force east of the 
Mississippi to General E. S. Canby at Demopolis on the Tom- 
bigby river. On the morning of the 6th a train of cars came in 
from Demopolis. This was the first train that we had seen for a 
long time. After this two, trains ran each day. 

On the morning of the 7th the prisoners who had been cap- 
tured at Blakely came into camp and we gave them a good, 
square meal. They started on their way home, rejoicing. They 
claimed that we treated them better than the old southern 
planters, in dividing rations. 

General Kirby Smith, with his command, skipped out for 
Mexico to join the French army, which was at war with Mexico. 
May 8th we had grand review by General C. C. Armstrong, the 
commander of our division. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

On the morning of May nth, 1865, we received marching 
orders and at seven a. .m. we marched down to the river. We 
boarded the "Joab Lawrence" and started down the river. On 
the morning of the 12th we met several transports going after 
the remainder of our brigade. ^ 

On the morning of the 13th we landed at the city of Mobile. 
We marched out three miles, near the Mobile and Atlanta rail- 
road. On, the 15th we drew six months' pay and one installment 
of bounty. ]May i8th we received an official report of the cap- 
ture of Jeff Davis. 

On the 25th one of the greatest explosions of the war took 
place in Mobile. One hundred tons of loose powder and all of 
the fixed shell and ammunition that had l>een turned over to the 
government was stored in the w^arehouses at the wharf. The 
colored troops were there on guard duty, but no one was left to 
tell how it was set off. 

The explosion shook the ground for several miles. The loss 
was terrible. One thousand, two hundred people were killed 
and wounded. The most of them were colored troops and citi- 
zens. Several large boats, loaded with ammunition, went up 
v.-ith the explosion, or were set on fire and went down. 

The buildings in eight blocks were leveled to the ground, 
and windows were jarred out for several blocks back in the city. 
The loss was estimated at five million dollars' damage. Many 
of the dead and wounded were covered up in the ruins and 
burned. The fire lasted for three davs, burning the wreck. It 



129 

could not be extinguished on account of the bursting shells. They 
made a sound like the raging of a continuous battle. Several 
were killed with pieces of the shells while trying to put out the 
fire. 

On the nKjrning of the 27th we marched into the edge of 
town. We went into camp and relieved the Third brigade. 
They w^re mustered out of service and sent home. June 3d we 
were reviewed by Chief Justice Chase. On the 4th we marched 
on grand parade down to the city park. We went through the 
manual of arms and got the praise of making a splendid show- 
off. Our battalion was small and well drilled. 

Our camp duty was cut down to two hours and dress parade 
at six p. m. each day. 

On the evening of the i8th. while we were on dress parade, 
a thunder storm came up and just as we reached our quarters 
lightning struck one of the pine trees in our camp. William 
Edwards, of our company, was instantly killed. Some of the 
other boys were badly shocked. There were also some 
boys in an Iowa regiment who were killed. They were a mile 
from where we were in camp. 

On the 22d the leader of our land. Alec Owens, returned to 
the regiment with a new set of silver instruments which he had 
purchased for the sum of seven hundred dollars. Company A 
had donated five hundred dollars on them, and we never re- 
gretted our gift. We w^ere w^ell paid with the music of those 
sweet-toned instruments. 

On the 25th we received marching orders, struck tents, and 
moved down to the landing. The boys had some fun out of 
the citizens just as we marched out of camp. There was quite 
an explosion from a small cannon, which our boys had loaded 
and covered with old clothes. A fuse was left burning. Several 



I30 

of the citizens had gathered in and were picking out the best of 
the goods, when the pile was thrown high in the air. They did 
not stop to find out the cause, but it had its effect, and every one 
called out, "More torpedoes." 

We got on board the "Alice Vivian." We ran down near 
Fort Gaines and ran alongside of the steamship "Hudson" and 
boarded it. We ran out between Forts Morgan and Gaines 
into the Gulf. On the evening of the 27th we passed in sight 
of the light house at Ship Shoals. On the morning of the 28th 
the wind blew a gale and the sea became very rough. Several 
of us were thinking about Jonah and the whale. 

On the morning of the 29th we came up with our fleet and 
anchored near Galveston Bay. The sea continued to be rough 
and we could not land on account of the sand bars between the 
Gulf and the Bay. On the evening of the 30th, the water being 
smooth, three companies of our regiment got on a small schooner 
and ran into the bay. We landed at the wharf and got off and 
lay here all night. It seemed as though we were in motion all 
the time. The remainder of our regiment came in July ist and 
we all marched through the city of Galveston, Texas. We went 
into camp on a beautiful sandy beach. 

On the 2nd we had inspection of arms and dress parade at 
six P. M. On the morning of the 4th we marched through the 
city and all of the troops at this place met at the public square, 
where a national salute was fired. Speeches were made and 
prayers offered for the glorv of our nation. We marched to 
camp by moonlight, our band plaving the solemn tune, "Loxed 
Ones at Home." 

On the 9th of July, our left wing, the old 67th Indiana, was 
mustered out of service and started home. Colonel Spicely, who 
had been temporarily commanding our brigade, went with them. 
He had well earned his star but he failed to get it. On the night 



131 

of the 20th the officers all got on a big booze. We escorted 
Colonel Spicely and the 67th through town, put them on the 
ship, and started them home on the 21st of July, 1865. 

Our battalion was now small. Almost half of them were on 
permanent guard duty and the remainder were doing patrol duty. 
On the 27th we moved our camp a short distance to clean up, as 
our family was now small. We were the only troops left to 
keep order and patrol the town. 

Our battalion was now commanded by Captain Pollard of 
Company K. Nothing of importance now happened except 
guard mounting guard and dress parade. On the 28th we moved 
our quarters up to the east end of town, near the college and 
Catholic nunnery. Some of the boys had a good time trysting 
with the nuns at the fence. Others of the boys made good money 
by digging down fortifications and opening up the streets. We 
got all of the water that we used at the nunnery well. 

October ist we received a large amount of mail. There were 
many greetings and promises in those letters. We also received 
general orders to be mustered out of service, on the 27th of 
October, 1865. 

November the ist, our officers were all busy making out our 
pay rolls and discharge papers. The 48th Ohio relieved us from 
guard duty on the 4th and we turned over all of our camp equip- 
age on the 14th. 

The boys who wished to remain at that place were mustered 
out f of service and started for New Orleans to get their pay and 
settle up with Uncle Sam. They left on the 15th. Several of 
them had gotten into trouble with the Golden Circle or Butter- 
nut organization, while at home on their furloughs and they did 
not wish to go back to Indiana. 

On the 1 6th of November, 1865, the remainder of our bat- 
talion was mustered out of the U. S. service. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

On the 17th, we marched down to the wharf, embarked on 
the Steamship "J. W. Everman," to start down the home stretch. 
We took on six hundred barrels of coal and at one P. M. we ran 
out of the bay. While getting on board, one of our boys fell 
overboard. A Dutch teamster, by the name of Oose Yager, 
pitched a rope to him, and he was lucky enough to get hold of the 
end of it and Oose hauled away at it, in the meantime bawling 
out, "Hold to the wope! Hold to the wope!" This afterwards 
became a by-word. The poor fellow who fell overboard was 
saved from the sharks, as many of them were swimming around 
the ship. 

The water was as smooth as glass and as blue as the sky, not 
a riftle was to be seen. Many huge sharks were keeping pace 
with the vessel. The sea gulls would light on the masts and flap 
their wings and chirp. All of the boys were filled with joy at 
the prospect of getting to see the loved ones at home once more. 
Some of them were feeling good from turning up their canteens 
too often. The sailors laughed and said, "You will change your 
tune before going to bed, for the darkest hours of life they say, 
come just before the brightest day." 

At six P. M. we saw a small black cloud which looked as if 
it were on top of the water. It soon seemed like mountains of 
snow were rolling toward us. The waves rolled fifty feet high. 
When thev struck the vessel, the rudder came unshipped and we 
logged along, once more at the mercy of God. 

The sailors went up to clear the deck, but some of our drink- 
ing boys, who were on deck drove them down and swore that 



133 

they were running that craft and were going home. One could 
hear them yell, ''Hold to the wope." But it was a different 
scene down in the hull. Some were trying to pray and others 
were too sick to do anything but roll from one side of the vessel 
to the other and vomit. 

That horrible night will never be forgotten by some of the 
boys of the old 24th Indiana. The morning of the i8th came 
and found our little wrecked vessel still wallowing in the foamy 
billows of that stormy deep. The storm had abated just a little. 
We knew not how far we had been carried from our course by 
the storm and the compass was out of order. The captain of 
the vessel had to do something, so he set the reef sails, got up 
steam, and pulled out to find land somewhere. 

On the 19th the sea was calmer, but no land was to be seen. 
The morning of the 20th found us anchored in sight of Powder 
Horn, at the mouth of Matagordia Ba}'. This was not many 
miles from Indianola, one hundred ten miles from Galveston, 
after we had been tossed about by the storm, five or six hundred 
miles. 

At seven A. M. the steamer "Clinton,'' on her way to Indi- 
anola, came in sight. We fired several shots from a cannon and 
hoisted a flag of distress. She came back in the evening, took 
our ship in tow, and pulled us back to Galveston Bay. On the 
morning of the 21st we were cut loose from the ''Clinton" and 
towed in to the wharf by the tug "Eliza Hancox." 

We felt somewhat calmed down after being tossed about for 
five days on one day's rations. We drew rations and on the 
morning of the 22nd, we were towed out into the gulf by the 
"Eliza Hancox." At two P. M. the "Clinton" hitched on and 
we started for New Orleans again. 

On the 23rd we ran in sight of Sabine Pass. At four o'clock 
on the morning of the 24th. we ran into the mouth of the South- 



134 

west Pass. Here the "Clinton" lashed on to the side of our 
boat and we pulled on up the river. A little accident occurred 
which drew the attention of many of our boys. Some one in 
the regiment was taking a little iVlexican dog home. The poor 
little fellow fell overboard, and trying to rescue him caused quite 
an excitement. A monstrous alligator, sixteen feet long, ap- 
peared on the scene. The dog gave one yelp, made one Wte, 
and disappeared. Several shots were fired at the alligator but 
none took effect. The boys were left to mourn the loss of their 
little dog. We had only two pets in the regiment, a bear and a 
dog. 

We ran past Fort Jackson at ten P. M. On the morning of 
the 25th, we landed at Greenville Station, above New Orleans. 
We got off of the good ship which had carried us safely across so 
many miles of stormy waters. 

On the 26th we got on board the "Elnora Carol'' and started 
up the river. We ran past Morganza Bend and on the 28th we 
landed at Vicksburg. On the morning of the 30th, we ran past 
Helena and past Memphis some time in the night. We landed 
at Cairo, Illinois, December 2, 1865. We had traveled one thou- 
sand six hundred and two miles in ten days, after the time when 
we had been reported lost. Many of our friends at home never 
expected to meet us again. 

We got off of the boat and marched out through the town 
to the Soldiers' Home. Here we were served with a splendid 
supper of coffee, beans and bacon, and were given good quarters 
to sleep in. 

On the morning of the 3rd, we marched to the depot, boarded 
the train and ran to Mattoon, Illinois. At ten o'clock, we 
changed cars and went on the Big Four to Terre Haute, Indiana. 
We arrived at Indianapolis at seven P. M., December 4. 1865. 
We gfot off and marched to the Soldiers' Home. 



135 

On the 5th we signed up the pay rolls. On the 6th of De- 
cember, 1865, we were payed off in full and disbanded. The 
rain poured down all evening. Each comrade hunted for the 
nearest road and quickest route that would take him home to 
the( loved ones that he had not seen for many long weary days. 

The 24th Indiana traveled through eleven states and made a 
distance of thirteen thousand six hundred and seven miles in 
four years, four months and twenty-seven days. The average 
was eight and a half miles per day. 

There were many of us who never met again, but we will 
ever stand in Fraternity'. Charity and Loyalty, at Home, Sweet 
Home. 

Names of states the 24th Indiana traveled through : Indiana, 
Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky. Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, 
Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Texas. 











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